The
vessels are part of the contract signed with GSL for eight such FPVs to be
built at a cost of Rs 473 crore. With the primary role of protection,
monitoring, control and surveillance, these advanced FPVs will help ICG protect
offshore assets and island territories. Each
FPV has a length of 52m, breadth of 8m, max speed of 27 knots, Controllable
Pitch Propeller-based propulsion system and displacement of 320 tons. 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.
In a first, two vessels were launched
simultaneously utilising the state-of-art Ship Lift System. The FPVs were
inaugurated and named in a ceremonious way by Smt Priya Paramesh in the
presence of Director General ICG Paramesh Sivamani, and veterans to the chants
of ‘Atharva Veda’.
Addressing the gathering, DG, ICG appreciated the efforts of GSL and
various industries in ensuring that all ship-building requirements of ICG are
fulfilled indigenously.
Congratulating employees of GSL on achieving this critical milestone, he
exhorted them to ensure that the march towards ‘Aatmanirbharta’ in defence is
pursued in the right earnest.
The ceremony was attended by Chairman
& Managing Director, GSL Shri Brajesh Kumar Upadhyay and
senior officials from Indian Navy, ICG, GSL and the
classification societies.