Navy’s all-women crew vessel reaches New Zealand port

VISAKHAPATNAM: With the all-women crew members, the INSV Tarini arrived in Lyttelton Port in New Zealand on Wednesday during its maiden voyage to circumnavigate the globe. On September 10, Union defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman flagged off the INSV Tarini from Goa for the first-ever circumnavigation of the globe exercise even undertaken by all-women crew members. 

The vessel is being skippered by Lieutenant Commander Vartika Joshi, and the crew comprises Lieutenant Commanders Pratibha Jamwal, P Swathi, and Lieutenants S Vijaya Devi, B Aishwarya and Payal Gupta. Having covered 7,800 nautical miles from Goa, the vessel crossed the Equator on September 25 and Cape Leeuwin on November 9. The vessel is likely to depart Lyttelton on December 12.

The indigenously-built INSV Tarini is a 56-foot sailing vessel, which was inducted into the Indian Navy earlier this year, showcasing the ‘Make in India’ initiative on the global forum. The expedition titled ‘Navika Sagar Parikrama’, is in consonance with the national policy to empower women. 
The vessel would return to Goa in April 2018. The expedition is being covered in five legs.