Indian Naval Ship Cheriyam, an indigenously built Water Jet Fast Attack Craft, was commissioned into the Indian Navy on 10 September 2009. The ship has a displacement of 320 tonnes, a length of 50 metres and beam of 7.5 metres and is capable of speed in excess of 30 knots. She is manned by a crew of five officers and 54 sailors and is fitted with heavy, medium and light machine guns. This enables the ship to perform a wide variety of roles including coastal patrol, search and rescue, coastal security and surface warfare. The name ‘Cheriyam’ is derived from one of the islands of Lakshadweep. The ship’s crest depicts a Blue and Black ‘Sea Horse’ with the characteristic curved tail against a Blue background. It has a relevance to Indian mythology, where it is identified as Lord Varun’s ‘Vahana’.
