New Delhi: The north-eastern sea border got a big boost with the Indian Coast Guard ship Varad joining the fleet at Paradip in Odisha on March 18.

It has joined as the third Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) class of Indian Coast Guard ship under the operational control of Coast Guard Regional Headquarters (North-East), Kolkata. The ship will be deployed extensively off Odisha and West Bengal Coast and for EEZ surveillance and other duties as enshrined in the Coast Guard Charter, to safeguard maritime interests of India.

Varad is fifth in the series of seven OPVs indigenously designed and constructed by M/s Larsen & Toubro Ltd, Katupalli, Tamil Nadu.

The ship was commissioned on February 28 and based at Paradip. It is propelled by two 9100 KW diesel engines and attain a maximum speed of 26 knots with an endurance of 5,000 nautical miles. It is commanded by Commandant Pintu Bag and manned by approximately 12 Officers and Men.