Advanced Offshore Patrol Vessel built for Sri Lanka Navy is launched in Goa, India
 

The launching ceremony of the Advanced Offshore Patrol Vessel, built by Goa Shipyards Ltd for the Sri Lanka Navy, came about on a grand scale at Goa Shipyard in India today (10). Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, Eng. Karunasena Hettiarachchi and Mrs. Wasantha Gunawardena along with Commander of the Navy, Vice Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne attended this significant occasion which marked another milestone in the history of Sri Lanka Navy.

The state of the art ship which measures 105m in length and 13.6m in width, will nearly incur USD 74 million when the project is over. The vessel also features a helipad which is capable of landing a helicopter and possesses the displacement capacity of 2350 tons as well. Besides it offers spacious accommodation for the comfort of 18 officers and 100 sailors. Moreover the vessel has an endurance of 4,500 nautical miles in terms of carrying out surveillance operations.

Joint Secretary Aeronautical and Defence Production Ministry of Defence India, Shri Sanjay Prasad, High Commissioner to Sri Lanka in India, His Excellency Esala Weerakoon and Mrs Weerakoon, Flag Officer Naval Aviation and Flag Officer Commanding Goa Area, Rear Admiral and Mrs. Puneet Kumar Bahl, former Commanders of the Indian Navy, Admiral (Retd) Arun Prakash and Admiral (Retd) Sureesh Mehta, Chairman and Managing Director of Goa Shipyard Ltd. Rear Admiral and Mrs. Shekhar Mital, dignitaries and special invitees of the Indian government, senior officers of Indian and Sri Lanka Navies also attended this occasion. On completion of the event mementos were also exchanged to mark the occasion.