Coast Guard inducts Rajshree

CHENNAI:  The newly-commissioned Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) Rajshree was inducted in the Eastern Fleet of the Coast Guard at the Chennai Port on Friday. The ship was welcomed and inducted into the Coast Guard fleet by Inspector General, SP Sharma, Commander, Coast Guard Region (East), at a ceremony held at the Chennai Port.The ship, after its commissioning on February 15 at Kolkata, covered a distance over 786 nautical miles before arriving at the Eastern headquarters.Addressing a gathering of officers after completing the ceremonious acceptance of the vessel at Chennai Port, Commander Sharma said that the new vessel would add strength to the region’s patrolling capabilities.ICGS Rajshree is a high-speed Inshore Patrol Vessel, the first among the series of eight of its class designed and built indigenously by Garden Reach Ship builders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata. The ship displaces 300 tons and is 48 meters in length. It has a complement of five officers and 34 enrolled personnel under Commandant Pankaj Verma. Besides being capable of undertaking regular Coast Guard mandated tasks of exclusive economic zone surveillance, maritime search and rescue and fisheries monitoring and assistance, the ship is specifically designed to undertake day and night operations in shallow waters that is considered an essential component of the coastal security mechanism.The ship is fitted with 03 MTU 4000 series engines capable of generating 2720 BHP to propel the vessel at a speed of 34 knots using water jet propulsion.At economical speed, the ship’s endurance is 1,600 nautical miles. Besides powerful engines, the ship can generate 320 kilowatts of electric power to feed a wide array of hi-tech sensors, equipment and weapons onboard. The ship is also equipped with one high speed FRP Boat, two Gemini boats and one water scooter for undertaking boarding, landing and special operations.The induction of Rajshree will add more teeth to the Coast Guard Eastern fleet and enhance Coast Guard’s capability in furthering its mandate of maritime safety and security, environmental protection and coastal security, Commanded Sharma said.