In a move that is expected to further help India’s border guarding force Border Security Force (BSF) effectively guard the sensitive inland waters in the creek area of Kutch (Gujarat) and Sunderbans (West Bengal), Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) on Friday delivered the second lot of three Floating Border Out-Posts (FBOPs) vessels to the BSF.

Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), under the Ministry of Ports, Ships and Waterways, has got orders for building nine such FBOPs to protect the country’s water borders. Three more vessels are likely to be delivered in the coming months, according to a Ministry note.

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The ministry of Home Affairs in March 2019 had placed orders for design, construction and supply of nine FBOPs for the Water wing of BSF. The FBOPs with an overall length of 46 meters and breadth of 12 meters are designed for deployment in Inland waters of India, specifically in the creek area of Kutch (Gujarat) and Sunderbans of West Bengal, the ministry note further stated.

The vessels are designed in-house by Cochin Shipyard Limited and classed by Indian Register of Shipping. Each FBOP vessel are designed with stowage arrangements for four fast patrol boats, which can be launched and hoisted using its own davit system. “The vessel shall act as the floating base for the flotilla of fast patrol boats. The vessel is to supply Petrol, Fresh Water and provisions to the smaller boats,” according to Shipping Ministry.

Cochin Shipyard was incorporated in the year 1972 as a fully owned Government of India company. In the last three decades the company has emerged as a forerunner in the Indian Shipbuilding & Ship repair industry. This yard can build and repair the largest vessels in India. The first Greenfield and presently the most modern shipbuilding yard in India, it has an enviable reputation for building high quality ships.

Cochin Shipyard with its proven expertise is perfectly positioned to offer a flexible range of products such as tankers, product carriers, bulk carriers, passenger vessels, high bollard pull tugs, air defence ship, etc. CSL started offering ship repair services in 1982 and has undertaken upgrades and repairs for all types of ships including ships for the oil exploration industry, the Ministry note further added.