Mangaluru : The New Mangalore Port Trust (NMPT) handled navy vessel INS Kolkata carrying two ISO tanks filled with 20mt oxygen each, 200 oxygen cylinders packed in 10 pallets of 10mt and four 10 litre high flow oxygen concentrators from Kuwait.

The aid cargo was loaded onto the navy vessel and sailed out from Shuwaikh Port in Kuwait on May 05. This is one among the nine vessels under the Samudra Setu-II operation launched by the Indian Navy.

The vessel, which arrived at 2pm on Monday, was given the highest priority berthing in the port. The oxygen and medical equipment are donated by the Kuwait government to the Indian Red Cross Society to support the nation’s health care and to overcome the current pandemic situation in the country.

INS Kolkata is the second such vessel carrying medical aids to reach the NMPT under the operation launched by the Indian Navy.

NMPT chairman A V Ramana, along with deputy commissioner Dr KV Rajendra, MLAs Dr Bharath Shetty, Umanath Kotian and senior officers of the port, navy and the Coast Guard were present at the operation site to monitor smooth disembarking of the vessel.

Speaking on the allotment, Binoy Nambiar, the nodal officer for oxygen in Dakshina Kannada district said that 20mt oxygen will be used in Dakshina Kannada and 10mt each will be sent to Udupi and Karwar.

Oxygen cylinders will be sent to Kodagu, Chikkamagaluru, Hassan and Chamarajanagar. The government is yet to decide on the allocation of high flow oxygen concentrators.