PRESS RELEASE
(to be released on 10 October 2016)

Indian Coast Guard’s Pollution Control Vessel in Colombo

icgs-800xSamudra Paheredar, a state-of-the art Pollution Control Vessel of the Indian Coast Guard, is on its maiden visit to Colombo from 10-11 October 2016. During its halt in Colombo, the ship’s crew will participate in professional, training and sports interactions with Sri Lanka Coast Guard personnel, which are aimed at strengthening ties and mutual understanding between the two Coast Guards. The ship will also conduct practical training in harbour and at sea for Sri Lanka Navy and Coast Guard personnel in the highly specialised field of Pollution Response.

The visit of ICGS Samudra Paheredar is expected to provide Sri Lankan agencies with an insight into Indian Coast Guard’s capabilities and best practices in the field of Pollution Response. This would allow the two countries to develop greater confidence to work together at sea in the event of any disaster or contingency.

The indigenously built Samudra Paheredar is designed to respond to major marine pollution contingencies both in harbours and offshore areas. With its modern Pollution Response equipment, the ship is capable of containing major oil spills, recovering, and storing large quantities of recovered pollutants onboard. An experienced team of personnel specialised in Pollution Response handle the pollution control operations of the ship. Samudra Paheredar has a crew of over 100 personnel and is commanded by Deputy Inspector General Deepak Raj Sharma.