Students explore INS Sumedha berthed at VOC Port

Students, who were allowed access to the Thoothukudi port along with staff members, got exposure to the might of the naval ship. They were taken to the deck, where crew members explained about the vessel’s key features and performance.

Scores of students from various educational institutions waited in a queue at the seaport for their turn to have a glance at the ship.

Sources from INS Kattabomman said that INS Sumedha would remain berthed on Sunday also as part of the programme organised for ‘Navy Week’ celebrations. December 4 is observed as Navy Day across the country to mark the victory of the Navy’s Operation Trident.

The offshore patrol vessel, INS Sumedha, was launched from the Goa shipyard in May 2011 and was dedicated to the nation’s safety on March 11, 2014. The ship is designed to undertake fleet support operations, coastal and offshore patrolling, ocean surveillance and also to monitor sea lines of communications, offshore assets and escort duties.

While explaining features of the ship to students, it was said that the vessel is 105 metres (344 feet) in length and weighed nearly 2,200 tonnes. The ship has a top speed of 26 knots. More importantly, it had armaments, notably super rapid gun mount (76 mm –SRGM) and close-in weapon system. The naval ship has a crew of eight officers and 108 sailors.

Around five thousand students turned up to have a glance of the ship on Saturday, sources said.

From 9 am to 3 pm on Sunday (December 15), the common public would also be allowed access to the ship, sources said.