As is customary, the local patrol ship Zoroaster of the Seychelles Coast Guard takes its name from a local fishing bank, the Zoroaster Shoal located on the Mahe Plateau, some 70 nautical miles east of Mahe, noted Cmde Medioma Bhada (retd) in a community WhatsApp group when the eponymous vessel was on a goodwill visit to Cochin on January 25-26, 2022. Zoroaster, which reportedly cost USD 13.4 million (INR 1,00,56,70,000), joins two larger patrol ships Topaz and Etoile, as the major offshore patrol ships of the 115-island archipelago nation’s coast guard. The Hindu reported that the vessel was "received by senior Indian naval officers.” The ship departed for Visakhapatnam on January 26 to take part in nautical exercises.
Representational image of a fast patrol vehicle Photo: navyrecognition.com
The fast attack craft was constructed by Garden Reach Shipbuilders Engineering, Calcutta and was presented to Seychelles in 2021 (see "Guarding Seychelles,” Events and Personalities, Parsiana, February 21-March 6, 2021). The ship had visited Cochin during her maiden passage to the Seychelles in March 2021.
The Seychelles Coast Guard is a branch of the Seychelles People’s Defence Force created in 1993. They recently acquired responsibility for search and rescue for vessel incidents as well as environmental protection from the Port and Marine Services Division, notes Wikipedia.
The prophet’s name was also given to a Swedish built and owned oil vessel, reportedly the world’s first tanker (see "A diverse trio,” Events and Personalities, Parsiana, March 21, 2017). F. J.