The HMIS Orissa (J200) was a Bangor-class minesweeper built to serve during the Second World War, originally ordered from Lobnitz & Co. for the Royal Navy under the name HMS Clydebank in 1940. Before her launch, she was transferred to the Royal Indian Navy (RIN) and commissioned as HMIS Orissa. The vessel was designed as a small, versatile minesweeper that could be produced in large numbers by civilian shipyards, with accommodation for 60 officers and ratings. Displacing 673 long tons at standard load and up to 860 long tons at deep load, Orissa measured 189 feet in length, with a beam of 28 feet 6 inches and a draught of 10 feet 6 inches. Her propulsion system consisted of two vertical triple-expansion steam engines, each driving a single shaft, powered by two Admiralty three-drum boilers. These engines produced 2,400 shaft horsepower, allowing her to reach a maximum speed of 16 knots. The ship's fuel capacity was 160 long tons of fuel oil, providing a range of approximately 2,800 nautical miles at 10 knots. Armament on HMIS Orissa included a 3-inch anti-aircraft gun and either a QF 2-pounder AA gun or multiple Oerlikon 20 mm AA guns, with some ships replacing or adding to these over time. For escort missions, her minesweeping gear could be swapped out for around 40 depth charges. During her service, HMIS Orissa was part of the Eastern Fleet, primarily escorting convoys across the Indian Ocean, between Africa, British India, and Australia from 1943 to 1945. Notably, she participated in rescue operations, such as saving 20 crew members from the British tanker Geo H. Jones after it was torpedoed by U-455 on 11 June 1942, and rescuing survivors of the American tanker E.G. Seubert after it was sunk by U-510 on 22 February 1944, about 200 nautical miles east of Aden. These actions highlight her role in convoy escort and rescue missions, contributing to Allied efforts in maintaining maritime security during the war.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.