New Delhi, December 23:
The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) on Monday inducted its first indigenously designed and built Pollution Control Vessel (PCV), ‘Samudra Pratap’, marking a major boost to India’s maritime pollution response and self-reliance in defence manufacturing.
The vessel, constructed under the 02 PCV Project at Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL), was formally delivered to the Coast Guard during an induction ceremony attended by senior ICG officials and representatives from the shipyard.
‘Samudra Pratap’ is the first indigenous pollution control vessel to join the ICG fleet and features over 60 per cent indigenous content, in line with the government’s ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ and ‘Make in India’ initiatives.
Equipped with advanced systems, the vessel carries a 30mm CRN-91 gun, two 12.7mm stabilised remote-controlled guns, an Integrated Bridge System, Integrated Platform Management System, Automated Power Management System, and a high-capacity external firefighting system. It also includes specialised boats and modern davit systems to enhance operational flexibility.
In a significant technological advancement, ‘Samudra Pratap’ is the first PCV in the Coast Guard to feature a retractable stern thruster, Dynamic Positioning System (DP-I), and flush-type side sweeping arms. The vessel is also equipped with advanced pollution control tools such as an oil fingerprinting machine, gyro-stabilised stand-off active chemical detector, and a dedicated pollution control laboratory, being introduced for the first time in India.
The new vessel will play a vital role in enforcing marine pollution regulations, conducting search and rescue operations, maritime law enforcement, and safeguarding India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) across the Indian Ocean Region.
The induction of ‘Samudra Pratap’ significantly strengthens the Indian Coast Guard’s capability to respond swiftly and effectively to maritime pollution incidents while reinforcing India’s growing indigenous shipbuilding capacity.
