Mauritius takes delivery of OPV

First Indian-built OPV delivered.

Mauritius receives Indian offshore patrol vessel

India’s Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) have handed over to Mauritius a 1 300 tonne offshore patrol vessel, three years after it was ordered to ensure maritime security around the island nation.

The CGS Barracuda was handed over in the port city of Kolkata on 20 December, several months later than planned. It was ordered in March 2011 for $58.5 million and had its keel laid in April 2013, with launch taking place that August. Successful sea trials were concluded in November 2014, when the vessel demonstrated a top speed of 22.5 knots (42 km/h) against the requirement of 20 knots (37 km/h).

“This would be the first among the long line of ships that we hope to export to various parts of the world,” Minister of State for Defence Rao Inderjit Singh said during the handover ceremony. He added that India has received an order for two offshore patrol vessels from Sri Lanka and these are under construction in Goa Shipyard. “I think the country can feel proud that the ship-building industry has come of age,” Singh said.

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Source: defenceweb.co.za