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Indian Coast Guard News

22 Aug 2023

Philippine and Indian Coast Guards to Enhance Cooperation

Source: ICG

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and Indian Coast Guard (ICG) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to enhance maritime cooperation at the ICG Headquarters in New Delhi, India, on August 22.PCG Commandant, CG Admiral Artemio M Abu, and ICG Director General, DG Rakesh Pal, presided over the signing ceremony. The aim of the MoU is to strengthen the professional bond between the two organizations by sharing best practices, conducting joint exercises, and enhancing training collaborations.

03 Jun 2021

Sri Lanka Prepares for Oil Spill after X-Press Pearl Ship Sinks

Credit: Sri Lanka Air Force./ Youtube Screenshot

Sri Lanka on Thursday readied for the possibility of an oil spill after a cargo ship laden with chemicals sank off its western coast.The Singapore-registered MV X-Press Pearl, carrying 1,486 containers, including 25 tonnes of nitric acid along with other chemicals and cosmetics, was anchored off the port city of Negombo when a fire erupted onboard after an explosion on May 20.Flaming containers filled with chemicals tumbled into the sea from the ship's deck as emergency crews sought to contain the blaze over the ensuing two weeks.The craft began to sink early on Wednesday…

20 May 2021

Indian Rescuers Searching for 26 Still Missing from Sunken Barge

(Photo: Indian Navy)

India's army and navy deployed ships and aircraft as they searched for 26 people still missing more than three days after a powerful cyclone sank a barge off the country's west coast, killing 49 people on board.Cyclone Tauktae, the most powerful storm to barrel into the west coast in two decades, has killed at least 46 others after wreaking havoc in the states of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka and Kerala."Ships and aircraft continue to search for the remaining crew," Navy…

14 Sep 2020

Sri Lanka Plugs Leak on Fire-stricken Supertanker

Credit: Sri Lanka Navy

Sri Lanka has initiated repair work on the ruptured fuel oil tank in the engine room of a stricken fully loaded oil supertanker after plugging the leak, the country's Navy said.The supertanker is currently 52 nautical miles (96 kms) from the Sri Lankan coast, Navy spokesman Indika de Silva said. "Salvors are on board, they plugged the leak and the repair is still going...They have vacated the ruptured tank and transferred the dirty water into the ballast section," de Silva told Reuters. A fire broke out in the engine room of the Greek-owned New Diamond tanker on Sept.

10 Sep 2020

Sri Lanka: Fire-hit Tanker Towed Further Offshore as Wind Picks Up

Credit: Sri Lanka Navy

The Sri Lankan navy has towed a fire-stricken supertanker further out to sea to keep it off the coast of the Indian Ocean island after the wind picked up strength and changed direction, a spokesman said on Thursday.The tanker, loaded with 2 million barrels oil, was 50 nautical miles (95 km) from the east coast and moving in a northerly direction, the navy spokesman, Indika de Silva, said. Earlier, it had been headed southwest.The stricken vessel has raised fears of an environmental disaster…

17 Aug 2020

India Sends Team to Mauritius to Tackle Wakashio Oil Spill

(Photo: Mobilisation Nationale Wakashio)

India has sent technical equipment and a team of specialists to Mauritius to help local authorities deal with an environmental crisis after an oil spill from a Japanese ship, a government official said on Sunday.The Japanese bulk carrier Wakashio struck a coral reef off the Indian Ocean island nation on July 25, spilling about 1,000 tonnes of fuel oil and triggering a state of “environmental emergency”.The carrier split on Saturday, and the oil spill spread over a vast area of endangered corals…

12 Aug 2019

GRSE Launches FPV for Indian Coast Guard

Kolkata-based defence shipyard Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) launched the Fifth Fast Patrol Vessel (FPV) for the Indian Coast Guard at Raja Bagan Dockyard Unit of GRSE, Kolkata.This ship, to be commissioned as ICGS Kanaklata Barua, is the last in the series of Five FPVs built by GRSE. Upholding the best of maritime traditions, the shipwas “Launched” by Smt. Veena Ajay Kumar, wife of Dr. Ajay Kumar, IAS, Secretary Defence (Production) who was present at the occasion as the Chief Guest.This ship is 50M long, 7.5M wide and has a displacement of around 308 Tons. These FPVs are designed for a maximum speed of 34 knots with…

24 Jul 2019

India Upgrades its Coast Guard

The Government India has established a robust maritime search and rescue framework to address and respond to various contingencies in deep sea and in coastal areas of India.According to a government release, the framework includes distress onboard fishing boats and merchant vessels, safety of life during marine incidents and SAR (Search and Rescue) response during cyclones.Director General Indian Coast Guard has been designated as the Chairman of National Maritime Search and Rescue Board (NMSARB), which constitutes members from national/coastal state administration/agencies.The sanctioned strength of Coast Guard has increased from 8149 in 2008 to 16818 upto July, 2019 which is 100% increase from manpower in 2008.

20 Jun 2019

International Workshop on Piracy in India

ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre (ISC) and Indian Coast Guard (ISG) are co-hosting an international workshop in New Delhi, India to deepen knowledge on issues related to piracy and armed robbery.Having 20 countries as its members, ReCAAP is the first regional Government-to-Government agreement that deals with the issues of piracy and armed robbery at sea in Asia.Designating ICG as the point of focus for ReCAAP within India, the nation has played an active role in establishment and functioning of ReCAAPISC along with Japan and Singapore.This year’s Capacity Building Workshop emphasises on knowledge of the role and functions of ReCAAP Focal Points in combating piracy and armed robbery against ships…

16 Jul 2018

MV SSL Kolkata: Salvage Operations Continue

The salvage operations of the container vessel MV SSL Kolkata that had caught fire last month, is continuing in rough weather conditions with 2- 4 metre swells. The vessel is grounded at about 8 nautical miles off the ecologically sensitive Sundarbans since the 13th of last month when its cargo area had caught fire following an explosion. All 22 crew members were   rescued by the Indian Coast Guard. The Directorate General of Shipping and its allied office, Mercantile Marine Department, Kolkata, Govt. of West Bengal, the Indian Coast Guard and various authorities have been constantly monitoring the developments as the salvage efforts continue.

12 Jul 2018

Fire Stricken Box Ship SSL Kolkata Sits Aground

Indian flagged containership SSL Kolkata caught fire and went adrift in the Bay of Bengal on June 13 (Photo courtesy of the Indian Coast Guard)

Responders are facing challenging monsoon season conditions as they work to salvage a containership that caught fire and grounded in the in the Bay of Bengal last month.The stricken containership SSL Kolkata remains aground in soft mud some 7.5 nautical miles off the Indian Sunderbans, Kolkata, West Bengal, after an explosion in one of the containers lit a fire on board the vessel on June 13.An oil spill response team from OSRL has arrived on scene and is the process of managing the counter pollution operations as responders battle challenging weather conditions…

14 Jun 2018

22 Rescued from Containership Ablaze in the Bay of Bengal

(Photo courtesy of the Indian Coast Guard)

The Indian Coast Guard said it has rescued all 22 crew members from a containership that caught fire around midnight in the Bay of Bengal.Coast Guard vessels arrived on scene Thursday morning and rescued all crew and the captain from Indian flagged SSL Kolkata, Coast Guard Commander Inspector General (NE) Kuldip Singh Sheoran said.SSL Kolkata was sailing from Krishnapatnam in Andhra Pradesh to Kolkata when the fire broke out due to an explosion in one of the containers, local media reported.Sheoran said the ship is carrying 464 containers on board.With all crew evacuated…

23 Apr 2018

Maersk Honam in Jebel Ali Port

The Maersk liner vessel Maersk Honam, which was hit by a serious fire on 6 March, will reach anchorage outside the Jebel Ali Port (UAE) on Tuesday 24 April 2018. The fire broke out around 900 nautical miles southeast of Salalah, Oman, and remains under control. Firefighting activities were initiated by the Indian Coast Guard until vessels with special firefighting capabilities arrived at the scene. Salvage operations are led by Smit Salvage and Ardent – two best-in-class companies within maritime salvage. After careful evaluation with port authorities in the area, Jebel Ali was chosen as the most suitable to accommodate the vessel. During…

13 Apr 2018

Rolls-Royce, GSL to assemble MTU engines

Rolls-Royce said it has reached a deal with Indian naval shipbuilder Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) to cooperate in the local manufacturing of technologically-advanced MTU Series 8000 engines. Under the agreement, which was signed this week at the defense trade show Defexpo in India, the companies will assemble the 16-cylinder and 20-cylinder MTU Series 8000 engines at GSL’s new facility in Goa.The MTU brand produces large diesel and gas engines and complete propulsion systems as part of Rolls-Royce Power Systems.The agreement includes transfer of MTU technology related to localizing of engine components, engine assembly, testing, painting and major overhauls. MTU Series 8000 engines are the largest and most powerful MTU diesel engines with a power output of up to 10 MW.

07 Mar 2018

Maersk Ship Ablaze in Arabian Sea, 4 Crew Missing

Maersk has reported an active fire in a cargo hold on its liner vessel Maersk Honam en route from Singapore toward Suez around 900 nautical miles southeast of Salalah, Oman. After firefighting efforts were unsuccessful, the crew sent out a distress signal and a total of 23 crew members were evacuated to the nearby vessel ALS Ceres, which arrived at the scene around 18:30 GMT. Four crew members remain missing. The fire on board the Maersk Honam continues and the situation of the vessel is very critical, Maersk said. The cause of the fire is currently unknown. Maersk Line said it will investigate the matter in cooperation with all relevant authorities. The Indian Coast Guard is involved in emergency response efforts.

09 Feb 2018

Piracy, Armed Robbery in Asia Drop in January: ReCAAP

A total of seven incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships were reported in Asia - five actual incidents and two attempted incidents - in January 2018, compared to 16 incidents reported in December 2017, according to regional piracy watchdog ReCAAP ISC. Out of the seven reported, five were actual and two were attempted incidents. One of these was a piracy incident and six were armed robberies against ships. Five incidents occurred on board ships while at anchor/berth, specifically at Muara Berau (East Kalimantan, Indonesia), Manila (Philippines), Cam Pha (Vietnam) and the South China Sea. The two incidents on board ships while underway occurred off Alang, Gujarat (India) and off Pulau Karimun (Straits of Malacca and Singapore).

11 Dec 2017

ReCAAP, India Coast Guard Conduct Workshop

The Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP) Information Sharing Centre and the Indian Coast Guard have commenced the 2017 Capacity Building Workshop in New Delhi, India. Themed “Striding Over Domestic Challenges,” this year’s workshop draws ReCAAP Focal Points from maritime enforcement and government agencies across Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Japan, Korea, Laos, Myanmar, the Netherlands, Norway, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and the United States. Participants will pool case studies drawn from recent incidents from their respective countries, discuss challenges, and share best practices to effectively deal with the evolving patterns of piracy and armed robbery against ships in Asia.

02 Aug 2017

India Seizes Merchant Ship Carrying 1,500 kg of Heroin

India's navy seized a ship carrying about 1,500 kg of heroin worth 35 billion rupees ($545 million) on Sunday in what it said was its biggest ever drugs haul.   The vessel, which was operating under the name MV Henry under the Panama flag, was intercepted off the Gujarat coast near the city of Porbandar, said S. Paramesh, deputy director general at the Indian Coast Guard.   It was sailing from Dubai to Alang, a town in Gujarat known for shipbreaking, Paramesh said.   The eight crew members aboard, all of whom were identified as Indian nationals, are under investigation.   ($1 = 64.1100 Indian rupees) (Reporting by Sudarshan Varadhan; Additional reporting by Sanjeev Miglani; Editing by Tom Lasseter and Robin Pomeroy)

06 Feb 2017

Indian Navy Officers Assess TROPEX 2017

Admiral Sunil Lanba, Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) embarked ships of the Indian Fleet (both Western & Eastern) over the last two days to review the ongoing Annual Theatre Level Readiness and Operational Exercise (TROPEX) 2017 which is presently underway since 24 January 2017. The CNS was accompanied by General Bipin Rawat, Chief of the Army Staff and Vice Admiral Girish Luthra, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command. The CNS witnessed a host of exercises viz. Gunnery shoots, Surface to Air missile engagements, Brahmos firing and operations of the combined Fleet in a complex multi threat environment including sub surface and air threats.

03 Feb 2017

India Impounds Ships, Detains Crew Over Oil Spill

Port authorities in Chennai have impounded a BW LPG vessel and a local ship carrying heavy fuel oil, and detained their crews, a spokesman for the port said on Friday, after their collision last week caused an oil spill affecting marine life and local fishing. About 20 tonnes of heavy fuel oil leaked and a complete clean-up is expected to take eight to 10 days, according to an Indian coast guard spokesman. BW Maple, with a total capacity of 82,000 cubic metres of liquefied petroleum gas, was half full when it collided near Chennai with the Indian ship Dawn Kanchipuram on Saturday. The port spokesman said the sludge - a mixture of oil, water and sand - has travelled over 18 miles, polluting the Marina Beach, one of the world's longest.

30 Jan 2017

Indian Navy's TROPEX 17 Gets Underway

The Indian Navy’s Annual Theatre Readiness Operational Exercise (TROPEX) got underway on 24 Jan 17. The month long exercise will have ships and aircraft of both the Western and Eastern Naval Commands, as also assets from the Indian Air Force, Indian Army and the Indian Coast Guard exercising together. The exercise is being conducted off the Western Seaboard. The last edition of the exercise was conducted in January 2015. TROPEX has grown in scale and complexity over the years and will see participation of major surface combatants and air assets of the Indian Navy including the aircraft carrier Vikramaditya, nuclear submarine Chakra, Landing Platform Dock (LPD) Jalashwa…

27 Jan 2017

Passing out Parade at INS Chilka

A parade marked the culmination of 21 weeks of basic training and a total of 1640 trainees passed out successfully from the portals of INS Chilka on 13 Jan 17. These trainees will now proceed for cadre specific professional training, both, at sea and professional training schools of the Indian Navy. The parade was reviewed by Admiral Sunil Lanba, PVSM, VSM, ADC, the Chief of the Naval Staff. The Admiral in his address to the passing out trainees emphasized that “it is incumbent upon the trainees to serve the navy with honour, dignity and commitment. He reiterated that no effort would be too small and no sacrifice too great in serving our glorious nation and splendid service”. Vice Admiral AR Karve, AVSM, FOC-in-C south was the conducting officer for the parade.

22 Dec 2016

Shipbuilding Looks Up in India

Global recession in the shipbuilding industry has affected the financial position of a number of yards especially in the private sector. Due to market downturn post 2008 and the lack of government policy support, all shipyards other than the defense shipyards are facing challenging times with very few global shipbuilding orders coming in. The Indian shipbuilding industry has continued to concentrate on defense and offshore sector vessels. The fleet expansion plans of Indian Navy and the vessels for the Indian Coast Guard are the two prime segments which were targeted by the Indian shipyards. Lack of orders from the Indian commercial ship owners and the lack of government policy support adversely affected the Indian shipbuilding outlook.