Panaji: The INSV Tarini entered Cape Town, South Africa, completing the fourth leg of the Navika Sagar Parikrama (NSP) II expedition.
The journey is being undertaken by two women officers of the Indian Navy, Lt Cdr Dilna K and Lt Cdr Roopa A.
The vessel and the crew were welcomed by Ruby Jaspreet, Consul General of India at Cape Town, Rear Admiral (JG) Lisa Hendricks, Chief of Staff, South African Navy Fleet and the Defence Adviser of India at Pretoria, Captain Atul Sapahia.
The South African Naval Band also performed welcoming the vessel to the port.
INSV Tarini will spend two weeks at Royal Cape Yacht Club for scheduled maintenance and repairs.
The crew will engage and interact with the South African Navy at Simon’s Town Naval Base and Gordon’s Bay Naval College. Community outreach events are also planned during their stay.
The expedition was flagged off by Adm Dinesh K Tripathi, Chief of the Naval Staff, on October 2, 2024, from Goa, has so far had three stopovers at Fremantle (Australia), Lyttelton (New Zealand) and Port Stanley, Falklands (UK).
The stopover of Tarini at Cape Town exhibits the growing relations between India and South Africa and how India stands committed to strengthen its maritime cooperation with the friendly countries in the Indian Ocean Region.
The mission aims to cover more than 43,300 kms in eight months, with a scheduled return to Goa next month. The vessel is likely to depart Cape Town on April 15.
The vessel and the crew having encountered rough seas and extremely cold temperature coupled with stormy weather conditions, made the task of circumnavigation highly challenging and demanding. The passage so far witnessed winds in excess of 50 knots (93 kmph) and waves up to 7 metres (23 feet) high.
The indigenously-built INSV Tarini is a 56-foot sailing vessel, which was inducted in the Indian Navy in 2018 and has participated in many such expeditions earlier.
