ABG Shipyard launches first PCV for Coast Guard

Surat, Mar 20 (UNI) For the first time, a pollution control vessel (PCV) 'Samudra Prahari' was launched for the Indian Coast Guard (CG) by the private sector shipyard, ABG Shipyard Ltd, here today.

The vessel, which is likely to be commissioned by November, was launched by the synchro-lift technique by Thrity R Contractor, wife of Vice Admiral R F Contractor, Director General of Indian Coast Guard.

Speaking on the occasion, Vice Admiral Contractor said ''Our international trade is increasing day by day and hence the responsibilty of Coast Guard is also increasing as 95 per cent of the country's international trade is done through the sea route''. Stressing that marine environment security is one of the prime concerns of the CG today, he said a large quantity of oil is discharged into the sea every year by the vessels and it is taking a heavy toll of marine life and aquatic birds. However, he hoped that the PCV will help CG fight the menace to a great extent.

Designed by Rolls Royace Marine Design, which is also responsible for major machine supply for the vessel, it can also do patrolling job when there is no oil spills in the sea. First in the series of 3 such vessels being built for the CG, the Rs 123-crore PCV is a 94-metre vessel with a displacement of 3,300 tonne and maximum draft of 4.5 metres.

ABG Shipyard's managing director Rishi Agarwal said '' After building one of its unique kind of vessels, we're now looking forward to get new orders for such vessels from the Coast Guards of other countries too''. He said PCV can works on the diesel-electric propulsion system as well as the conventional propulsion system''. The vessel can handle Chetak, ALH (Advanced Light Helicopter) and Sea King Helicopters as also stowage of Chetak Helicopter.Besides, it has a modern integrated platform management system for centralised monitoring and control of machineries and systems.

Mr Agarwal said their shipyard has an order book worth Rs 3,600 crore as of today and has been witnessing annual growth of more than 30 per cent for past three years in a row. Some of the other vessels being built at the ABG Shipyard currently include a passenger vessel for Andaman&Nicobar, a tanker for Gujarat Ambuja Cement and others.

Later, talking to UNI on the sidelines of the event, chief financial officer of the shipyard, Dhananjay Datar, informed that the ABG group was coming up with another shipyard at Dahej by the middle of the next year. Also, he said that his shipyard's order book was full until 2010.

UNI