The engines produced a total of 2,400 shaft horsepower (1,800 kW) and gave a maximum speed of 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph).

The ship carried a maximum of 160 long tons (163 t) of fuel oil that gave her a range of 2,800 nautical miles (5,200 km; 3,200 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph).

[4] The ship was a part of the Eastern Fleet, and escorted numerous convoys between Africa, British India and Australia in 1943-45.

[5][6][7] On 11 June 1942, Orissa rescued 20 surviving crew of British tanker Geo H. Jones which had been torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-455, northeast of the Azores in position 45°40′N 22°40′W / 45.667°N 22.667°W / 45.667; -22.667.

On 22 February 1944, Orissa with HMAS Tamworth rescued the surviving crew of the American tanker E.G. Seubert which was torpedoed and sunk by U-510 about 200 nautical miles east of Aden in position 13°50′N 48°49′E / 13.833°N 48.817°E / 13.833; 48.817.