GRSE starts construction of Large Survey Vessels for Navy

Kolkata: State-run Defence PSU Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited (GRSE) has started the construction of 1st survey vessel (large) (Yard 3025) on Friday. To mark the occasion, a keel-laying ceremony was organised at their Main Works, Kolkata. GRSE's Structural Fitter (SK-II) Jadav Sarkar performed the keel-laying in the presence of GRSE's Controller of Warship Production and Acquisition (PVSM, AVSM, VSM) Vice Admiral Ajay Kumar Saxena. On the occasion GRSE's Chairman and Managing Director Rear Admiral VK Saxena, IN (Retd.) along with Director (Personnel) Cmde. PR Hari and Director (Shipbuilding) Cmde Sanjeev Nayyar, IN (Retd) were present.

Three more ships to be built by GRSE

This first ship is part of the four Large Survey Vessels' order won by GRSE in the competitive bidding process in October 2018. GRSE had signed a contract for the construction of four Survey Vessel Large (SVL), with the Ministry of Defence for an order value of Rs 2,435.15 crores on October 30, 2018. The first ship is to be delivered within 36 months from contract signing date with a project completion time of 54 months.

Specifications of Survey Vessel

The vessels would be 110m long with deep displacement of 3,300 tons, can accommodate 231 personnel. The vessel shall have a cruising speed of 16 knots (one knot equals to 1.852 km per hour). GRSE's denovo Hull Form Design imparts a superior level of operational efficiency to these vessels. The Hull form of these new generations survey vessel also meets the stringent seakeeping and manoeuvring requirements, including helicopter operations at high sea states. With their state-of-the-art "Survey Payload," comprising of Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs), Remote Operated Vehicles (ROVs), Multi-Beam Echo Sounders etc, these survey ships would prove to be a game-changer in Indian Navy's Capabilities for Coastal and Deepwater Hydrographic Surveys aiding Maritime Operations. In their secondary role, they will be capable of performing limited search and rescue and limited ocean research, and of operating as hospital ship/ casualty holding ships. Vessels will be built as per classification society rules and Naval Ship Regulations and will conform to the latest International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) (Marine Pollution) standards of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).