Why in news?
The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has inducted the Samudra Pratap, the country’s first indigenously designed and built pollution control vessel. Constructed by Goa Shipyard Limited, the ship will expand the ICG’s ability to respond to oil spills and other maritime disasters.
Background
Pollution control vessels (PCVs) are specialised ships equipped to detect, contain and clean up oil spills and hazardous material releases at sea. Until now, India’s PCVs were either imported or based on foreign designs. The Samudra Pratap is the first vessel of its kind designed and built in India under the Make in India initiative. It is part of a two‑vessel project to enhance the ICG’s pollution response capabilities.
Features
- Dimensions and displacement: The vessel is 114.5 m long, 16.5 m wide and has a displacement of about 4,170 tonnes, making it the largest ship in the ICG fleet.
- Dynamic positioning: It is the first ICG ship equipped with a DP‑1 system, allowing precise station‑keeping in rough seas. The vessel has FiFi‑2/FFV‑2 certification for external firefighting.
- Pollution control systems: Samudra Pratap houses advanced equipment for oil spill detection and response, including oil‑fingerprinting devices, a gyro‑stabilised chemical detector, a pollution control laboratory and systems to recover viscous oil and separate contaminants from water.
- Integrated technology: The ship features an integrated bridge system, an integrated platform management system and an automated power management system. These enhance situational awareness and reduce crew workload.
- Armament: For maritime security, the vessel carries a 30 mm CRN‑91 gun and two 12.7 mm remote‑controlled machine guns with fire‑control systems.
Significance
The induction of Samudra Pratap strengthens India’s maritime environmental security. Oil spills can devastate marine ecosystems and coastal livelihoods; having a dedicated, indigenous PCV means faster response times and reduced reliance on foreign assistance. The vessel also showcases India’s progress in ship design and construction under the Atmanirbhar Bharat (self‑reliant India) initiative.
Conclusion
With Samudra Pratap now in service, the Indian Coast Guard is better prepared to safeguard the marine environment and respond to emergencies. Continued investment in pollution control infrastructure will be vital as shipping traffic and offshore energy projects increase in Indian waters.
Source: PIB