Samudra Setu II: Naval ships arrive with critical Covid aid

The Indian Navy has been working tirelessly to provide logistic support to shore up medical supplies to tackle the current Covid-19 situation.

As part of its operation 'Samudra Setu II', Indian Naval Ships INS Airavat, INS Trikand and INS Kolkata arrived back home with critical Covid-19 medical stores from friendly foreign countries on Monday. INS Talwar had arrived on May 5.

On May 10, INS Airavat arrived in Visakhapatnam, carrying 8 Cryogenic Oxygen Tanks, 3,150 empty oxygen cylinders, 500 filled oxygen cylinders, 7 oxygen concentrators, 10,000 Rapid Antigen Test kits and 450 PPE kits from Singapore.  

"The ship departed Singapore on May 5 with Oxygen tanks and cylinders were sourced through various agencies in coordination with the High Commission of India," Indian Navy spokesperson Commander Vivek Madhwal said.
 
The ship is part of nine ships that have been deployed for Covid relief Operation 'Samudra Setu' II for shipment of Liquid Medical Oxygen and associated medical equipment from friendly foreign countries in the Persian Gulf and southeast Asia.

Indian Naval Ship Trikand was deployed to augment shipment of Liquid Medical Oxygen (LMO) cryogenic containers from Hamad Port in Qatar to Mumbai. The ship arrived at Mumbai on Monday with 40 MT liquid Oxygen.

"The consignment carried is part of the French mission “Oxygen Solidarity Bridge” to support India's fight against Covid-19 pandemic. This was the maiden voyage of transshipping of French Air Liquide containers from Qatar to India," he said. 

The Indo-French initiative, facilitated by Dr Deepak Mittal, Ambassador of India in Qatar, is likely to result in the shipping of over 600 MT LMO to India over the next two months.

The first consignment brought was handed over to the Maharashtra state authorities.

Indian Naval Ship Kolkata arrived at New Mangalore with 400 bottles of Oxygen, two 27 MT containers of Liquid Medical Oxygen and 47 concentrators that were embarked at Qatar and Kuwait.

"While these ships entered ports to augment oxygen supply in three different states, two more warships are en route to India from Kuwait and one ship is at Brunei to embark medical supplies," he added.

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