Port Blair, May 16 : Arrival of MV Sindhu, a 500-pax-cum-150 MT cargo vessel constructed by Cochin Shipping Limited, Kochi for A&N Islands, at Port Blair has brought a great deal of relief for the people of the Union Territory.

The A&N BJP unit has also expressed deep gratitude towards the government for the Shipping Minister of India and the Chief Secretary of Andaman and Nicobar Administration for the gift of M.V Sindhu for the Islanders.

The vessel is presently at anchorage until the mandatory quarantine is over. The ship will be formally inducted into the fleet soon after thorough sanitisation and medical clearance by the Directorate of Health Services, sources said.

Arrival of this state of the art vessel, the first of its type in the Indian sub – continent, is a proud moment for the Islands and speaks volume about the technical prowess of India’s shipbuilding industry.

This vessel which can cruise at 16 knots is built to the highest standards of the Indian Register of Shipping and American Bureau of Shipping meeting the Indian Merchant Shipping rules and is customized for Indian requirements with very high level of safety and comfort comparable to the international standards.

According to official details available here, the vessel has deluxe, first-class, second class cabins, bunk class and seating class. The vessel is equipped with all modern amenities for the passengers. The ships carrying capacity is 6792 Gross Tonnage and her design draught is 4.3 meters.

With a Depth of 6.90 meters, having a length overall (LOA) is 99.75 meters while the Vessel width is 17.50 meters with Summer DWT: 1085 T. The recorded speed of the vessel is 16 knots and the average speed is 14.7 knots.

The vessel is having modern amenities like Recreation Rooms for Bunk and Cabin Class, Gymnasium, Hospital, Conference Room along with a Wheel House equipped with ergonomically designed high maneuverability SAT navigation.(UNI)