Coastal security, particularly of Karnataka, has got a shot in the arm as ‘Shoor’, an advanced ship of the Indian Coast Guard commissioned about two weeks ago, arrived at its base — New Mangalore Port — here on Tuesday.
The Union Minister for Shipping, Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari commissioned the ship in Goa on April 11.
The 105-meter-long Shoor, an offshore patrol vessel, is the fifth ship of the Coast Guard based here. The Coast Guard’s four fast-patrol vessels based at the New Mangalore Port are ‘Savtiribai Phule’, ‘Kasturba Gandhi’, ‘Amartya’, and ‘Rajdoot’. In addition, the Coast Guard has two hovercrafts in Mangaluru.
After receiving the new ship here, K.R. Suresh, Commander, Coast Guard, Karnataka, said it was a major milestone in augmenting maritime security of the State.
Shoor is the largest ship of the Coast Guard in Karnataka. Designed and built by Goa Shipyard Ltd., it can carry a helicopter.
According to a Coast Guard official, the ship can carry a single-engine Chetak helicopter or a double-engine advanced light helicopter. The ship is also capable of carrying pollution response equipment to combat oil spill contamination.
It carries five high-speed boats, including for fast boarding operations, search and rescue, law enforcement, and maritime patrol. A 30-mm CRN 91 Navan gun fitted in the ship can fire up to a distance of 8 km, the official said, and added that with full fuel load, the ship could sail for 20 days on a stretch.
The ship can attain a maximum speed of 23 knots and has an endurance of 6,000 nautical miles.
Deputy Inspector-General Surendra Singh Dasila is the Commanding Officer of the ship.
