Indian Coast Guard marks key milestones in 14 FPV, 6 ACV projects

Mumbai: The keel laying ceremony of second Fast Patrol Vessel (FPV) under the 14 FPV Project, and the girder laying ceremonies for the second and third indigenously built air cushion vehicles (ACVs) of the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) were held at Mumbai and Goa, respectively on Thursday.

The ceremonies were graced by Inspector General Harman Preet Singh, Deputy Director General (Technical), Coast Guard Commander (Western Seaboard) and Inspector General Sudhir Sahni, TM, Deputy Director

General (M&M), Coast Guard Headquarters respectively. Senior officials from MDL, Chowgule & Company, and ICG were also present on the occasion, according to a statement issued by ICG.

The contract for design and construction of 14 FPVs was concluded on 24 Jan 2024 with MDL. These water-jet propelled vessels, with an approximate displacement of 340 tons, are designed for coastal security, search and rescue, and law enforcement operations, featuring a minimum indigenous content of 60 per cent.

Each FPV is equipped with indigenously built gearboxes by M/s Triveni, Mysore, and water jets by M/s MJP India. The vessels will also feature state-of-the-art machinery, including AI-based predictive maintenance and multipurpose drones, underscoring the integration of advanced technologies into India’s maritime defence capabilities.

The contract for six ACVs, signed with the Ministry of Defence on 24 Oct 2024, marks a major milestone under the ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative. It reinforces the Government of India’s commitment to self-reliance in advanced maritime platforms.