Visit of Indian naval sailing vessel INSV MHADEI

1.Indian Naval Sailing Vessel INSV Mhadei, a state-of-the-art yacht, is visiting Mauritius on her maiden long distance voyage. The vessel is arriving at Port Louis on May 30, 2009 and is expected to be in Mauritius for ten days. The sailing expedition, a first of its kind from India, started from Goa covering a distance of over 2300 nautical miles under trying sailing conditions that included encounter with the South West Monsoon North of the Equator, crossing the Doldrums at the Equator and negotiating the South East Trade winds South of the Equator.

2. The voyage is being undertaken as preparatory training for "Sagar Parikrama", Indian Navy's first solo circumnavigation expedition. The first leg from Goa to Mauritius will be sailed by a crew of two comprising Commander Dilip Donde and Lieutenant Commander Abhilash Tomy. On the return journey to India, Commander Dilip Donde will sail the yacht alone. The voyage is a first not only for the Indian Navy, but also for India as no Indian has sailed shorthanded or solo over such long distances. For the Sagar Parikrama expedition, INSV Mhadei will cover a distance of approximately 21,600 nautical miles and will circumnavigate the globe from West to East through the Southern Hemisphere.

3. INSV Mhadei was built at Diwar Island, Goa near the capital city of Panjim, by Aquarius Fibreglass Pvt Ltd. Diwar Island is situated on the mouth of the River Mandovi, which is also called Mhadei near its source. River Mhadei is worshipped in Goa along with the presiding deity of the region - the Nau (Boat) Devi.

4. In the three months since she was handed over to the Indian Navy, INSV Mhadei has sailed over 2000 nautical miles including a brief visit to Colombo. The yacht carries a set of six sails that can be used in different combinations allowing speeds of up to ten Knots. INSV Mhadei is equipped with state-of-the-art navigation " communication equipment, a desalinator for making fresh water and an inboard diesel engine for power generation and propulsion.

5. This visit of INSV Mhadei to Mauritius is the first by an Indian yacht. The preference of sailing yachts in open seas is fast developing in India and the visit of INSV Mhadei is expected to encourage yacht tourism from India to Mauritius.

Port Louis
June 1, 2009