The vessel and its crew received a warm welcome from Ms Ruby Jaspreet, Consul General of India in Cape Town, Rear Admiral (JG) Lisa Hendricks, Chief of Staff of the South African Navy Fleet, and Captain Atul Sapahia, Defence Adviser of India in Pretoria

The NSP II expedition, which was flagged off on 2nd October 2024 by Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, Chief of the Naval Staff, from Goa, is being undertaken by two women officers of the Indian Navy: Lieutenant Commander Dilna K and Lieutenant Commander Roopa A

The mission aims to cover more than 23,400 nautical miles (approximately 43,300 kilometres) over an eight-month period, with a planned return to Goa in May 2025. So far, the expedition has included stopovers at Fremantle (Australia), Lyttelton (New Zealand), and Port Stanley in the Falkland Islands (United Kingdom)

During their time in Cape Town, INSV Tarini will be stationed at the Royal Cape Yacht Club for two weeks for scheduled maintenance and repairs. The crew will also engage in interactions with the South African Navy at Simon’s Town Naval Base and Gordon’s Bay Naval College

The crew has encountered treacherous weather conditions throughout their journey, facing rough seas, extremely cold temperatures, and stormy weather. Winds have exceeded 50 knots (93 km/h), and waves have reached heights of up to seven metres (23 feet), making the circumnavigation a highly demanding and formidable challenge