Two ICG ships decommissioned after 24 years of service

TUTICORIN: In a fitting tribute for their 24 years of service in sea, the Indian Coast Guard on Tuesday bid adieu to two of its coastal patrol vessels, ICGS Naiki Devi and ICGS Akka Devi in a grand manner.
Inspector general of Coast Guard (eastern region), Satya Prakash Sharma presided over the farewell ceremony at the Tuticorin port premises in the presence of Tuticorin Coast Guard station commandant, Anand Kumar and port chairman, Ananda Chandrabose.Sharma accepted the guard of honour by coast guard personnel near the vessels.
As a sign of decommissioning, the coast guard ensign and the national flags were brought down from the mast of the ships. The vessels were decorated with colourful lighting for the event. Coast Guard IG told reporters that the ICGS Naiki Devi at Tuticorin will be replaced with a new vessel by next month. The Coast Guard fleet would be augmented with 107 new vessels which are in various level of construction at ship building yards. Tuticorin coast guard station will be provided with new vessel ICGS Abhiraj and two hi-speed patrolling boats shortly, he added.
Belonging to the Tara Bai class of vessels, Naiki Devi and Akka Devi were commissioned in the year 1990. While Naiki Devi was based in Tuticorin, Akka Devi was deployed in Andaman and Nicobar command. The vessels with the length of 147 feet and 23 feet beam were equipped with two diesel engines for propulsion enabling them with 12 knots speed. Armed with one Bofors' naval gun and two machine guns, the vessels were involved in rescue and search operations and patrolling of the coastal areas.