Amphibious ship Magar joins Navy’s training squadron

Amphibious ship Magar has arrived at the Southern Naval Command (SNC) here to augment the training requirements of the Kochi-based First Training Squadron of the Navy comprising naval and Coast Guard ships.

The vessel, which arrived from Vizag, its previous home port, was received by Rear Admiral R.J. Nadkarni, Chief of Staff of the SNC.

The ship will be converted into a training vessel, with accommodation and facilities to train cadets in seamanship, navigation, ship-handling, boat work, engineering, electrical departmental skills and the like, vital for them to earn their “sea legs”.

The failure of ABG Shipyard, which had been contracted by the Navy to build two cadet training vessels, to build and deliver them forced the Navy to make alternative arrangements and Magar’s role conversion is part of them.

A naval communication said the vessel was being prepared to augment the capacity of the First Training Squadron to meet the increase in the training load of officer trainees and also to cater to the maintenance requirements of the existing ships of the squadron.

At present, the squadron comprises INS Tir (the largest training ship of Indian Navy), INS Shardul, Coast Guard ship Sarathi, and INS Sujata besides two sail training ships INS Sudarshini and Tarangini.

INS Magar is commanded by Commander Praveen Kumar Sinha.