Visakhapatnam: INS Darshak, a hydrographic survey ship of the Eastern Naval Command here, has successfully completed the hydrographic survey of Tanga port for the government of Tanzania. This survey was undertaken under the Memorandum of Understanding on foreign cooperation in the field of hydrography between Tanzania and India on exchange of hydrographic data to promote development and cooperation through conducting surveys, excha-nge of data, capacity building and infrastructure strengthening.
On completion of the survey, the preliminary navigational chart of the Tanga harbour was ceremoniously handed over to the government of Tanzania. The ceremony was attended by senior officials of the Tanzanian government, and the work done by INS Darshak was highly appreciated, a Navy release said. This survey is important for Tanzania in light of an oil pipeline from Uganda being laid at the port and its future expansion plans. The navigational charts of approaches to Tanga port were based on primitive survey and a fresh survey was considered inescapable.
INS Darshak was in Tanzania for over one month to undertake the survey. During her stay, the personnel exploited all aspects related to hydrography and data collection utilising state-of-art equipment and techniques such as bathymetric data collection, sound velocity analysis, multi-beam and single beam echo sounder, total stations and aerial reconnaissance by helicopter, the release said.
This was the eighth foreign survey that INS Darshak has completed. The ship is on her way to Mauritius for undertaking a hydrographic survey. The joint hydrographic survey saw participation of both Tanzanian and Indian Naval personnel. Tanzanian Naval personnel embarked on INS Darshak as part of the exercise.
