Perigee Light Vessel

Pirigee light vessel marks the danger of shoal known as ‘Perigee Rock’ between Piram Island and Ghoga Bandar.It is an unattended vessel fitted with light on steel frame-work and is approachable by machine boat(Lighthouse Deptt’s ML Piram) from Ghoga Bandar.In 1929, Bhavnagar state Port Deptt. first laid an unlit buoy in the position which was replaced in 1932 by a lighted buoy with Red light operating on DA gas and giving flash every 5 seconds. A conventional vessel fitted with a light 22 feet above water level was laid in position in December 1936 under the supervision of Port Officer J. Johnston and Development Engineer B.M.Mehta. The light worked on DA gas. The light vessel functioned satisfactorily for about 8 years till it sank in May 1944.As such had to be replaced by a lighted buoy again. The buoy was painted black. A new light vessel was indigenously built by suitably modifying a barge and fitting on it the retrieved lighting equipment after repairs in Port workshop. It was laid in the position at Perigee rock in 1947.This light vessel functioned for more than two decades during which it was hit number of times by passing barges and got damaged.Order for a new light vessel in the mean time was placed with M/s. B.B.T., Paris, which arrived in India in 1972.This vessel was painted and had revolving optical equipment operated by gas motors inside a 2m dia lantern. The new vessel was moored at the same position of Perigee rock on 23rd April 1973. The Revolving optic had to be removed and replaced by a drum optic with DA gas flashing equipment in 1975.The DA gas equipment was replaced by electronic flasher (JLWL) and halogen lamp operating on batteries charged by Solar Panels on 10th May 1994.