Indian Coast Guard (ICG), on Monday, launched two fast patrol vessels (FPVs) ‘Adamya’ and ‘Akshar’, which help ICG protect India's offshore assets and island territories. In a first, the two vessels were launched simultaneously, using the state-of-the-art ship lift system.
The FPVs, with over 60 per cent indigenous content, were built by Goa Shipyard Ltd. (GSL). As part of the contract signed between the company and ICG, eight such FPVs are to be built at a cost of Rs 473 crore, with the primary role of protection, monitoring, control, and surveillance of India's coastal regions.
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Each FPV, with a displacement capacity of 320 tonnes, is 52 meters long and 8 meters wide, and has a maximum speed of 27 knots.
“The ships have been designed and constructed to meet the specific requirements of the ICG under stringent dual class certification of American Bureau of Shipping and Indian Register of Shipping,” the defence ministry stated.
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Director General ICG Paramesh Sivamani, addressing a gathering after the launch, lauded the efforts of GSL and various industries in ensuring that all ship-building requirements of ICG are fulfilled indigenously.
Further, he urged the employees of GSL to ensure that the march towards ‘Aatmanirbharta’ in defence is pursued in the right earnest.