New Delhi/Chennai: The offshore patrol vessel (OPV) ICGS Vajra, built by Larsen & Toubro Limited (L&T) has been commissioned into the Indian Coast Guard at Chennai on Wednesday by Chief of Defence General Bipin Rawat. On the occasion, Indian Coast Guard's Director-General Krishnaswamy Natarajan, L&T's Whole Time Director (Defence & Smart Technologies) JD Patil, Inspector General S Paramesh and Member of the L&T Board and other dignitaries were also present.
ICGS Vajra is the sixth vessel in the series of seven OPVs being built by L&T under a Ministry of Defence contract signed in the year 2015. Like the five OPVs in the series, ICGS Vajra was also delivered ahead of the contractual schedule. The seventh OPV ICGS Vigraha was launched in October 2020 and is being readied for sea trials.
OPVs are long-range surface ships, capable of operation in maritime zones of India, including island territories with helicopter operation capabilities. Their roles include coastal and offshore patrolling, policing maritime zones of India, control and surveillance, anti-smuggling and anti-piracy operations with limited wartime roles.
The ICGS Vajra is approximately 98 meters long, 15 meters wide. It has a 3.6-meter draught, with 2140 T displacement and a range of 5,000 NM. It can attain a sustained speed of up to 26 knots. The entire design and construction process has been certified by the American Bureau of Shipping as well as the Indian Registrar of Shipping and overseen by the Indian Coast Guard's resident team at Kattupalli.
Since foraying into defence shipbuilding in Mar 2010, L&T has epitomized the dynamism and prowess of a private shipyard with in-house design, construction and delivery of 62 nos. defence vessels.
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