Indian Coast Guard commissions Samarth-class OPV Saksham.

According to information published by the Indian government on March 17, 2022, Defence Secretary Dr. Ajay Kumar commissioned the Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) Saksham, the fifth in the series of 105-metre Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) class, at Goa.
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Defence Secretary Dr Ajay Kumar inside the new Samarth-class OPV Saksham (Picture source: Indian government)

The 105-meter OPV has been designed and built indigenously by Goa Shipyard Limited and is fitted with advanced technology, navigation and communication equipment, sensors and machinery.

The vessel will be also fitted with a 30-mm 2A42 Medak gun and two 12.7-mm Stabilised Remote Controlled Gun (SRCGs) with FCS. The ship has been equipped with an Integrated Bridge System (IBS), Integrated Platform Management System (IPMS), Power Management System (PMS) and High Power External fire-fighting (EFF) system.

The ship is designed to carry a twin-engine helicopter and four high-speed boats including two inflatable boats for boarding operation, search & rescue, law enforcement and maritime patrol. The ship is also capable of carrying limited pollution response equipment to contain an oil spill in the seas.

The ship displaces approximately 2,350 tons (gross registered tonnage) and is propelled by two 9,100 KW diesel engines to attain a maximum speed of 26 knots. She has an endurance of 6,000-nautical miles at economical speed.

The sustenance and reach, coupled with the latest and modern equipment and system, provides her with the capability to perform the role of a command platform and undertake tasks to fulfil the Coast Guard charter.

The ship, on joining the Coast Guard fleet, will be based at Kochi. She will be deployed extensively for Exclusive Economic Zones surveillance and other duties as enshrined in the Coast Guard charter. Presently, the ICG has an expanding fleet of ships and aircraft.

Further, numerous ships are at various stages of construction at different Indian shipyards and Advance Light Helicopters are under production at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, Bengaluru which will provide the added strength to the surveillance capabilities of ICG to deal with the ever-dynamic maritime challenges. The ICGS Saksham is commanded by Deputy Inspector General P Rajesh and manned by 10 officers and 95 sailors.

The Samarth-class offshore patrol vessel is a series of eleven offshore patrol vessels being built by Goa Shipyard Limited for the Indian Coast Guard. The ships are being constructed in two batches—a batch of six ordered in May 2012 that was completed in December 2017 and a follow-on batch of five ordered in August 2016.