MANGALURU: Naval vessel INS Kolkata, which was carrying oxygen and other equipment, landed at New Mangalore Port Trust (NMPT) on Monday. The vessel sailed out from Shuwaikh Port, Kuwait, on May 5 carrying the aid and is among the nine vessels under the Samudra Setu-II operations launched by the Indian Navy. The vessel is carrying 40 MT of oxygen filled in two ISO tanks, 200 oxygen cylinders packed in 10 pallets weighing 10 MT and four 10-litre high flow oxygen concentrators.
A release from NMPT said that the vessel was given the highest priority berthing in the port when it arrived at 2 pm.
The medical oxygen and equipments have been donated by the Government of Kuwait to Indian Red Cross Society to help tide over the Covid-19 crisis in the country. NMPT chairman AV Ramana, Deputy Commissioner, and senior officers of the port, Indian Navy and Coast Guard were present at the site to oversee operations.
Ramana expressed the readiness of the port to help in such situations and said they will contribute in every possible way to help the country fight against the pandemic. The liquid medical oxygen containers will be transported to the destinations decided by the state government. Out of 40 MT of oxygen, Dakshina Kannada will get 20 MT, and Udupi and Uttara Kannada will get 10 MT each.