Public and private sector shipyards collaborate to lay keels for three warships

Vishal Thapar Jun 20, 2022

Keels for the second and third ships of Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC) corvettes programme and the fourth ship of Survey Vessel Large (SVL) for the Indian Navy were laid on June 17 by the Vice-Chief of Naval Staff, Vice-Admiral SN Ghormade at L&T’s Kattupalli shipyard in Tamil Nadu.

Keel laying is a major milestone activity in the construction of ships, symbolising formal commencement of the erection process of the warships on the building berth.

The occasion was also a moment of reflection on the progress of indigenous construction of warships. Of the 41 ships on order by the Indian Navy, 39 are being made in Indian shipyards.

The keel laying of the ASW-SWCs and the SVL also marks the collaborative approach between public and private sector shipyards to expedite warship construction for the Indian Navy.

The Contract for construction of four SVL and eight ASW SWC for the Indian Navy was awarded to the public sector Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) in Oct 18 and Apr 22 respectively. As part of the yard’s build strategy, GRSE has subcontracted part construction of three ships of SVL and four ships of ASW SWC to L&T, Kattupalli.

Speaking on the occasion, the Vice-Chief of Naval Staff appreciated the efforts put in by both GRSE & L&T Shipyards in achieving this milestone despite multiple waves of COVID-19 and associated restrictions.

He noted that laying of keel for three warships together on one day is a landmark event and this achievement signifies the enhanced indigenous production capability and capacity to ramp up the pace of warship construction in the country. He commended the commitment, dedication and professionalism displayed by employees of GRSE and L&T in achieving this significant milestone. He also highlighted that construction of these vessels is a major boost for AatmaNirbhar Bharat and India’s Make in India commitment with over 80 per cent equipment and systems being indigenous.

Vice-Admiral Ghormade appreciated the collaborative approach between GRSE & L&T and opined that this model of Public-Private Partnership between will be the harbinger of more such successful collaborations between Indian Shipyards for warship construction in India.

Survey Vessel Large (SVL) ships are capable for full scale coastal survey, deep-water Hydrographic survey and determination of Navigational channels and routes. In addition, these platforms collect oceanographic and geophysical data for Defence applications. State-of-art equipment such as Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV), Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV), Single/ Multi Beam Echo Sounders and Data Acquisition and Processing System (DAPS) are fitted onboard SVL vessels to increase the ocean research capability.

The Vice-Chief of Naval Staff observed that the ASW SWC platforms will augment the Navy’s anti-submarine warfare capability and serve as a deterrent against submarine threats. Armed with torpedoes, rockets, state-of-the-art Hull Mounted Sonar (HMS) and Low Frequency Variable Depth Sonar (LFVDS), the ASW SWC ships will be a major capability advancement for the Indian Navy