Bengaluru: To augment medical supplies to India, as part of the ongoing Operation Samudra Setu II, INS Kolkata arrived in New Mangalore, INS Trikand entered Mumbai and INS Airavat arrived in Visakhapatnam on 10th May. 

These ships are part of nine ships 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 South East Asia.

INS Airavat arrived in Visakhapatnam with eight cryogenic oxygen tanks and around 4000 oxygen cylinders along with other critical medical equipment/supplies from Singapore, said a statement from ministry of defence. 

It should be noted that Indian Naval Ship Trikand was deployed to augment shipment of Liquid Medical Oxygen (LMO) cryogenic containers from Hamad Port, Qatar to Mumbai. The ship arrived at Mumbai with 40 MT of liquid Oxygen. The consignment carried is part of the French mission “Oxygen Solidarity Bridge” to support India’s fight against COVID-19 pandemic.

INS Kolkata arrived at New Mangalore Port on 10 May 21 with 400 bottles of Oxygen and two 27 MT containers of Liquid Medical Oxygen that were embarked at Qatar and Kuwait. 

While these ships entered ports to augment oxygen supply in three different states, two ships are enroute to India from Kuwait and one ship is at Brunei to embark medical supplies.

Ships from all three Naval Commands in Mumbai, Visakhapatnam and Kochi, were deployed for shipment of Liquid Medical Oxygen (LMO) and associated medical equipment from friendly foreign countries in Persian Gulf and South East Asia. 

It might be noted that Indian Naval Ship Talwar entered the port of New Mangalore in Karnataka on 5 May, ferrying two 27 tons liquid oxygen tanks from Bahrain. INS Kolkata departed Kuwait with two 27 ton oxygen tanks, 400 Oxygen cylinders and 47 concentrators.