The plants have been developed by India’s premier defence R&D organization DRDO

Indian Naval Ship Savitri arrived at Chattogram port in Bangladesh on Thursday carrying two Mobile Oxygen Plants (MOP), each with a capacity of generating 960 litres of oxygen per minute.

It had departed Visakhapatnam on Monday with medical supplies on board for Bangladesh.

These two plants developed and manufactured by India’s premier Defence R&D organistaion DRDO in India are being given to Bangladesh to support the efforts to fight the Covid-19 pandemic, said a statement of the Indian High Commission in Bangladesh.

One MOP is to be set up at the Dhaka Medical College and hospital and the other plant is for the Bangladesh Navy, to be set up at BNS Patenga.

These fully equipped, state-of-the-art MOPs generate medical oxygen on-site in a highly cost-effective manner, the statement added.

In addition to direct installation at hospitals, they can also be used for refilling oxygen cylinders as well.

The MOPs generate medical breathing standard oxygen using Zeolite (Molecular Sieve) technology with Pressure Swing Absorption (PSA) principle for medical applications.

According to the Indian High Commission, the visit by INS Savitri is also the second port call by Indian Navy vessels to Bangladesh in 2021, when India and Bangladesh are jointly commemorating the Golden Jubilee of the 1971 Liberation War.

While in Bangladesh, the ship’s company would be interacting with their Bangladesh counterparts and on its journey out, Indian Navy and Bangladesh Navy ships will be engaging in Passage Exercise in the Bay of Bengal on Friday.

Earlier, in March 2021, two Indian Navy ships had made a historic maiden visit to Mongla to jointly celebrate Mujib Borsho.

INS Savitri is an Offshore Patrol Vessel designed to patrol India’s vast Exclusive Economic Zone and has been built by the Hindustan Shipyard Limited, Vishakhapatnam.

As part of the Eastern Fleet of India, INS Savitri, undertakes fleet support operations, coastal and offshore patrolling, ocean surveillance and monitoring of the sea lanes of communication. The ship is commanded by Cdr N Roby Singh.

Regular port calls by Bangladesh Navy and Indian Navy ships to each other’s countries is an ongoing activity and helps strengthen the spirit of fraternal friendship and close cooperation.