HSL yard undergoes major infrastructure modernisation
First steel cutting ceremony was held on 10 Apr 2024 for the Indian Navy’s Fleet Support Ships (FSS) at Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) yard in Visakhapatnam.
Contract with HSL for acquisition of five Fleet Support Ships was signed in Aug 2023 and the ships are scheduled to be delivered to the Indian Navy https://www.indiannavy.nic.in/ , commencing mid-2027.
The FSS is first-of-its-kind with displacement of 44,000 tons and will play a crucial role in replenishing the fleet at sea with fuel, water, ammunition, and stores, thereby extending the operational capabilities of the Navy and enhancing its strategic reach.
In secondary role, these ships would be equipped for Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Relief operations for evacuation of personnel in emergency situations and quick delivery of relief material at site during natural calamities.
On induction, the Fleet Support Ships will bolster the ‘Blue Water’ https://www.mea.gov.in/ capabilities of the Indian Navy through replenishment of fleet ships at sea, said the Ministry of Defence.
With a completely indigenous design and sourcing of majority of the equipment from indigenous manufacturers, this shipbuilding project will boost the Indian Shipbuilding Industry and is in consonance with Government initiatives of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’, ‘Make in India’ and Make for the World, said the ministry.
Giridhar Aramane, Defence Secretary https://www.mod.gov.in/ . VAdm Rajesh Pendharkar, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command, Cmde Hemant Khatri (Retd), Chairman and Managing Director, HSL and other senior officials from Indian Navy and HSL officiated at the ceremony.
The Defence Secretary also laid the foundation stone for augmentation of slipway and major infrastructure modernisation to enhance capacity and capability of the yard https://www.hslvizag.in/ .
The ongoing infrastructure upgrades, including the installation of a cutting-edge 300T Goliath crane and slipway upgrades, will further enhance HSL’s capacity to undertake FSS and future projects like the Landing Platform Dock, reinforcing its role in meeting the defence and commercial sector requirements under the ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative.
In his address, Aramane termed HSL as an asset of the government. He stated that the present shipbuilding trend is showing an upcoming boom in orders from both defence and commercial sector and HSL should be geared up to take on any challenge.
CMD, HSL Cmde Hemant Khatri (Retd) underlined the importance of construction of FSS as it provides business to nearly 550 MSMEs in-and-around Visakhapatnam and employment opportunity to over 3,000 personnel. Fiinews.com
