|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
A Great Day for Indian Shipbuilding and Indigenous Capability . With the ships being indigenously designed and constructed, and almost all the equipment on board ‘Made in India’
Kochi : Today on 30 November 2023, at CSL’s Kochi Yard, the first three ships in the series of eight Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Crafts (ASW SWC) being constructed for the Indian Navy by Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) were launched. Smt Anjali Bahl launched the first vessel, Smt Kangana Berry launched the second vessel, and Smt Zarine Lord Singh launched the third vessel after the ceremonial pooja.
The launching of the three (3) vessels was carried out in the presence of Chief Guest from Indian Navy, viz. Vice Admiral Sanjay J Singh, AVSM, NM, Vice Chief of Naval Staff. Vice Admiral Suraj Berry, AVSM, NM, VSM, Commander-in-Chief & Vice Admiral Puneet Bahl, AVSM, VSM, Commandant INA. The Chairman and Managing Director, CSL, Directors of CSL, Senior officials of Indian Navy and CSL, Classification Society representatives were present on the occasion.
On April 30, 2019, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL) signed a contract to build eight (8) ASW SWC ships. The Mahe Class of Ships will replace the in-service Abhay class ASW Corvettes of Indian Navy and are designed to undertake anti-submarine operations in coastal waters, Low Intensity Maritime Operations (LIMO) and Mine Laying Operations including subsurface surveillance. The first three ships in this series, CSL Yard nos BY 523, BY 524 & BY 525 shall bear the name ‘INS MAHE, INS MALVAN & INS MANGROL’ upon commissioning into the Indian Navy.
The vessel are 78.0 m long, 11.36 m wide with a draught of about 2.7 m. The displacement is about 896 tons, with a maximum speed of 25 knots and endurance of 1800 nautical miles. The vessels are designed to fit indigenously developed, state-of-the-art SONARS, for underwater surveillance. Concurrent launching of the three (3) ships is yet another milestone achievement for Cochin Shipyard Ltd. The first ship of the project is planned to be ready for delivery by November 2024.
Speaking on the occasion Vice Admiral Sanjay J Singh expressed, “It’s a signal day today, we will be seeing three concurrent launches that herald the growth in Indian shipbuilding and indigenous capability. It’s a great day and we are all proud to be part of this truly momentous occasion. I along with the other dignitaries present, consider it as a great privilege to be here with all of you today. Witness and be part of the simultaneous launch of the first three anti submarine warfare shallow watercrafts being built right here in Cochin Shipyard Limited at the outset, my congratulations to Mr. Medhu S Nair and team CSL on achieving the significant milestone, despite all the challenges you have gone through.”
He further added, “Indeed, over the last three decades, it gives us and feels us all with pride to see the growth of Kochi shipyard. Where it was in 1993 when we would come here, the first talking of buying its building and commissioning the grants to this concurrent launch that is taking place and indeed, the very vibrant future that it holds for the shipbuilding of the country and Cochin Shipyard in particular.”
He praised, “With the ships being indigenously designed and constructed, and almost all the equipment on board we made in India, our quest for Atmanirbhar Bharat is not only being vigorously pursued, but also being rapidly realized iIn the prevalent and emerging security scenario.”
He emphasized, “We need to maintain a sustained momentum towards self reliance and indigenous combat capable assets on national development and growth in National prosperity that are highly dependent on the seas. Accordingly, India’s national maritime security interests have been growing and has long with it the need for a stronger credible and cohesively. Navy has been at the forefront of it.”
CMD CSL, Madhu Nair stated, “The August gathering events like this, when three high end warships engineered, constructed end to end with Indian equipment built in this country and concurrently been launched. I think these are signs of what India is capable of. And for us in Cochin Shipyard after Vikrant, this is yet another demonstration of what CSL is capable of.”
He further expressed , “But as I mentioned, not alone. Alone, we may not be able to do anything. But when we team up with the right support, and teaming up and fall within the ecosystem that has been built up and at this stage, I want to thank entire fraternity of the Indian Navy, the Ministry of Defense and the complete ecosystem, the belief we have shown over the last 60 years investing in this country.”
Extending his gratitude he said, “I salute the Indian Navy, for having come this far when we are in a position to launch three vessels concurrently from a shipyard. I thank the Government of India, the honorable Prime Minister, the Honorable defense minister, and the supporting ecosystem for creating this opportunity for creating such a platform for a company like Cochin Shipyard to excel. And as I said, this is about Team India for me, we build ships. These are fine, engineered products, but then most importantly, this is not about creating ships. This is about creating pride. And this is about creating belief.”
Sharing the challenges faced he informed, “This project has not been easy. It’s been very difficult and challenging. Due to various set of reasons a bid which was submitted in 2014. And for no fault of anybody, but this was amongst Indian Navy’s first ever try and build ships on fully tendered mode on an outsource mode in a non defense shipyard. And it took more than four years for us to finalize and control the bid. And when we concluded the bid in April 2019, just see what all happened after that. Two rounds of COVID which by the way world had never seen. The foreign exchange variation from a levels of US Dollar 60 to the US Dollar around 85 these days. And the last if I would put in a little bit illogical way the crowning glory was the Russia and Ukraine issues which again set in motion. Various other disruptions of technical side for building this very small vessel over packed because the Indian Navy had very exacting requirements, weight, noise and vibration, how to align all this together, was itself a big challenge.”
Flowing with the emotions he said, “And for us as a fiercely commercial competitive yard this project was one bias under extreme aggression that aggression was about 100 Crore per vessel, less than an L two bit that was the kind of aggression which we showed and I salute my team. I salute the entire group, which has worked together shown imagination and today with full pride I can say this vessel we are holding engineered to perfection, high quality high end and above all within price limits.”
He further stated, “We are making money on this project and we making money it’s not for any individual in Cochin Shipyard at the end of the day. This money belongs to the government of India.”
Extending his thanks to Indian Navy he said “I place on record the extreme support we have received from the Chief of Naval Staff, present and past, the VCNs present and past, CWP and the entire team, the WPS team, CNC southern Naval Command and the team, for whom Cochin Shipyard was an extended arm for the Indian Navy.”
Informing about the target he stated, “Our next target is the basin trials in April 2024 and we are targeting and we will struggle and we will break every stone in our way to try and see that we deliver the first vessel by November 2024.”
Extending his feeling for SCL team he said, “I thank my passionate team, with whom I ever had to had some very rough dealing. I don’t want to apologize for this. I want to say that this rough dealing is needed because India needs to produce ships. There must be belief ships must be built on time on cost. But I think this is the right opportunity for me to thank my team. The team starting with the design and engineering department led by K R Anjana the team led by Shivakumar A. heading the materials department. The production teams led by the achieved manager education and general manager Sunil Kumar K R, and special thanks to the IQC teams who have worked along with it. A very special thanks and appreciation to Mr. Binoj Shankar as project manager who has actually steered the project.”
