KOCHI:
Cochin Shipyard Limited completed construction of 20 Fast Patrol Vessel series for the Indian Coast Guard.
CSL was awarded the work of constructing 20 Fast Patrol Vessels for the Indian Coast Guard on 
ICGS AYUSH, the 20th Fast Patrol Vessel, the last in the series (CSL Yard No BY 520) was delivered today, three months ahead of schedule.
The ceremony of first reading of D448 of the ship was held today at the CSL. The protocol of delivery and acceptance was signed between Shri Suresh Babu N V, Director (Operations), CSL and Commanding Officer (Designate) of the vessel Commandant (JG) Asheesh Sharma, in the presence Shri Madhu S Nair, Chairman and Managing Director, DIG Arun Shrivastav, PD (Mat), CGHQ, DIG G Devanand, CGRPS (KOC) and other senior officers of both CSL and Coast Guard.
These vessels with a length of 50 metres, beam of 7.6 metres are small in size when compared to the large vessels that CSL had been building. Designing and building these ships had posed challenges to the yard as these are extremely weight sensitive vessels.
The superstructure of the vessel was made of Aluminium alloy and special welding procedures were developed by CSL to ensure high-quality welding and fabrication of these aluminium structures. CSL has achieved excellent weight control on these ships right through the build process which resulted in difference between the design weight and actual weight. All the vessels delivered have achieved speeds in excess
of the contracted speed and surpassed the expectations of Indian Coast Guard with regard to performance.
The Fast Patrol Vessels help in securing Indian waters by patrolling within the Exclusive Economic Zone, coastal patrol, carrying out anti-smuggling, anti-piracy, search and rescue operations and for fisheries protection and monitoring. The ship will also play a secondary role of providing a communication link and escort coastal convoys in times of hostilities and war.
ICGS Ayush will be operated from the Coast Guard Station at Krishnapatanam During the current financial year CSL has delivered four Fast Patrol Vessels and one Deck Cargo / Jacket Launch Barge built for National Petroleum Construction Company (NPCC) Abu Dhabi.
