Commissioning of ICGS ‘ABHINAV’, the Third Fast Patrol Vessel of the Coast Guard

15 Jan 2014

ICGS ‘ABHINAV’, the third of the Fast Patrol Vessels (FPV) being built by Cochin Shipyard for the Indian Coast Guard was commissioned on 15 January 14. The Chief Guest on the occasion was VAdm Anurag Thapliy al, DG Coast Guard. Other important dignitaries who graced the occasions were IG S P S Basra, Com CG (West), Shri Ravikumar Roddam, Director (Finance), Shri P Vinayakumar P, Director (Technical), Capt R S Sundar, Director (Operations), CSL, Shri DIG T P Sadanandan CGRPS (K), DIG Chandran, COM DIS (IV) and Commandan t Raman Kumar, Commanding Officer, ICGS Abhinav.

The contract for the construction of the 20 Fast Patrol Vessels (FPV) for the Indian Coast Guard was signed on the 20th of October 2010. ICGS Abhinav was delivered on the 13 January 2014 this year. The first two ships were commissioned on 13 Dec 2013 & 31 Dec 2013.

The FPV is a small vessel in terms of size compared to the large vessels that CSL has built, but it is very complex and extremely challenging to build. The ships with a length of 50 metres are designed to achieve speeds of 33 knots. The ship is extremely weight sensitive and CSL had to go in for weight reduction measures like making the superstructure of aluminum. It is for the first time that Cochin Shipyard has undertaken fabrication of aluminum structures on such a scale. This was challenging but the CSL welding technologists and workers have mastered the techniques required to produce extremely high quality aluminum welds. It is a measure of the outstanding professionalism of the shipyard that weight control on this ship was exercised right through the build process and the difference between the design weight and actual weight was only about 2 tonnes ie a difference of less that 01%. This has ensured that the designed speed was achieved on her very first outing at sea.

It also has a secondary role of providing communication link & escort convoys during hostilities and wartime. This ship propelled by water jets and powered by three Main Engines, each of capacity- 2720 KW is built to the dual classification requirements of ABS and IRS.

Apart from the 20 Fast Patrol vessels for the Indian Coast, the yard is also constructing the most prestigious warship of the nation, the Indigenous Aircraft Carrier and 2 Offshore Support Vessels for International owners.

Cochin Shipyard Limited press release