Indian Coast Guard Ship ARUSH Commissioned

The Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) ARUSH was commissioned on 26 May 2016 by the Coast Guard Commander (Western Seaboard) Additional Director General SPS Basra at Kochi.

The ship has been named ICGS ARUSH that means first ray of sun. ARUSH is the seventeenth ship in the series of twenty Fast Patrol Vessels (FPVs), designed and built by M/s Cochin Shipyard Limited.

Highlights of the ICGS ARUSH
• The 50 meter indigenous FPV displaces 421 tonnes and can achieve a maximum speed of 33 knots with an endurance of 1500 nautical miles at economical speed of 13 knots.
• It is equipped with state-of-the-art weaponry and advanced communication and navigational equipment.
• It makes an ideal platform for undertaking multifarious close-coast missions such as surveillance, interdiction, search and rescue and medical evacuation.
• The special features of the ship include an Integrated Bridge Management System (IBMS) and Integrated Machinery Control System (IMCS).
• It will be based at Porbandar under the administrative and operational control of the Commander, Coast Guard Region (North West).
• The ship is commanded by Commandant Pramod Pokhriyal and has complement of four officers and 33 enrolled personnel.

Background
The Fast Patrol Vessels (FPVs) are the work horses of Indian Coast Guard. The coastal security has become of utmost importance keeping in view the asymmetric threats from the sea and ensuring the maritime safety.

Indian Coast Guard will be a 150 ships/boats and 100 aircraft maritime force in next few years. In addition to these operational assets, a coastal surveillance network is being established with 46 stations to ensure real time coastal surveillance.