(COLOMBO, LANKAPUVATH) –State Minister of Defence, Ruwan Wijewardene commissioned the Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV), CG 60, as Sri Lanka Coast Guard Ship ‘Suraksha’ at a ceremony held at the Colombo Harbour on Saturday (21st Oct.).
High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka, Shri Taranjit Singh Sandhu, State Minister of Defence, Ruwan Wijeyawardhane, Secretary to the State Ministry of Defence Sunil Samaraweera, Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, Kapila Waidyaratne PC, and Commander of the Navy, Vice Admiral Travis Sinniah were also present at the ceremony.
The 74.10 m long OPV earlier belonged to the Indian Coast Guard and was officially gifted to Sri Lanka in September this year.
SLCG Suraksha is manned by a crew of 14 officers and 86 sailors. With a displacement of 1,160 tons, the OPV can sail at a speed of 22 nautical miles per hour. The 11.40 m wide vessel can cover a distance of 8,500 nm maintaining a speed of 16 nautical miles per hour.
The SLCG will use the newly commissioned ship for patrolling and surveillance of the country’s territorial waters, render humanitarian assistance and disaster response operations, prevention of maritime pollution and for training purposes as well.
