• The vessel, equipped with modern weapon and state-of- the-art radar systems, would be deployed for day and night surveillance patrol, search, rescue and in pollution response operations.
• The offshore patrol vessel (OPV), entirely developed in-house by Larsen and Toubro and the country’s first-ever such defence craft to be built in a private shipyard was handed over to the coast guard. 
• The vessel named “Vikram”, built at Larsen and Toubro’s Kattupalli shipyard, about 45 km from here, was handed over to the Coast Guard ahead of the March 2018 delivery schedule.
• This is the first of the seven vessels for which the INR 1,432-crore contract had been awarded by the Ministry of Defence in March 2015. 
• As per the contract, the first vessel was slated to be delivered in March next year.
• The vessel, equipped with modern weapon and state-of- the-art radar systems, would be deployed for day and night surveillance patrol, search and rescue and in pollution response operations in exclusive economic zones of the country, the Coast Guard said in a release.
• The OPV is designed entirely in-house and became the first defence vessel to be built in a private shipyard.
• The ship is indigenously designed and would be inducted into service by April 2018 after completion of extensive trials of equipment and machineries.
• The ship is fitted with one 30 mm automatic gun and two 12.7 mm gun with fire control systems. It would have integral twin-engine helicopter, which would enhance its operational, surveillance, search and rescue capabilities.
• The vessel is equipped with state-of-the-art radars, navigation and communication systems capable of operating in tropical conditions.
• Till date, Larsen and Toubro had delivered six refit defence ships including the largest logistics tanker ship INS Jyoti from the shipyard.
• The OPV launched today is 97 metres long, 15 metre wide and has 2,140T displacement with a range of 5,000 nautical miles and can reach speed of up to 26 knots.
• The entire design and construction processes have undergone dual certification from American Bureau of Shipping and Indian Registrar of Shipping.

Source:TH