As part of Operation Samudra Setu II, INS Shardul, the Indian Navy ship of the Southern Naval Command entered Kochi on Thursday to disembark four ISO containers carrying 80 MT of liquid medical Oxygen. As part of the operation, INS Shardul embarked 270 Metric Tonnes (MT) of liquid medical Oxygen from Kuwait and UAE including 11 International Standardisation Organisation (ISO) containers, two semi trailers and 1200 Oxygen cylinders. The ship arrived at New Mangalore Port on Tuesday & disembarked 190 MT of liquid medical Oxygen comprising seven ISO containers, two semi trailers and 1200 Oxygen cylinders. The ship entered Kochi today afternoon and berthed at ICTT, Vallarpadam under Cochin Port Trust. The Oxygen containers were disembarked at the port and handed over to the Govt. of Kerala.
Operation Samudra Setu-II was launched by the Indian Navy for shipment of medical Oxygen-filled cryogenic containers and associated medical equipment from various countries in support of the nation’s fight against Covid-19. The deployment of frontline warships including destroyers, frigates, tankers and amphibious ships of the Indian Navy for Operation Samudra Setu-II forms a significant part of the multiple lines of efforts, by the GoI and the Indian Navy to supplement the Oxygen requirement in the country.
An amphibious ship capable of carrying troops, armoured tanks, vehicles and armament for amphibious operations, INS Shardul is a versatile platform, also capable of undertaking Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief operations. The ship attached to the First Training Squadron of the Indian Navy based at Kochi, has actively participated in multiple humanitarian relief operations by the Indian Navy in the recent past. These include transhipment of 600 MT of rice to Antsiranana, Madagascar as humanitarian aid in March 2020 and repatriation of 233 Indian citizens from Iran during the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic in June 2020, as part of Operation Samudra Setu-I, by the Indian Navy. Deployment of INS Shardul for Op Samudra Setu-II demonstrates the commitment and resolve of the Southern Naval Command and the Indian Navy, to support our countrymen in the battle against COVID-19 in line with the spirit of ‘Har Kaam Desh Ke Naam’.
