On July 16th, state-run Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) Ltd announced that it has been awarded a contract worth Rs 840 crore by the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR) to construct and deliver an ocean research vessel (ORV). NCPOR, which operates under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, issued the contract.

In a filing with the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), the defence PSU stated, "We wish to inform you that the company has signed the contract with NCPOR for the Construction and Delivery of ORV. The total value of the order/contract is approx. Rs 840 crore." The project is slated to be completed within 42 months from the commencement date.

According to an official statement from GRSE, the ORV will measure 89.50 meters in length, 18.80 meters in width, and have a depth of 12.50 meters. It will boast a gross tonnage of 5,900 tonnes and a cruising speed of 14 knots at 90% maximum continuous rating (MCR). The vessel will be capable of operating at depths of up to 6,000 meters.

GRSE highlighted that the ORV, upon completion, will support swath multibeam and geophysical seismic surveys in both coastal seas and deep waters. It will also conduct conductivity, temperature, and depth (CTD) profiling, along with water sampling operations using various nets for biological sampling.

Drawing from its extensive experience in constructing survey vessels for the Indian Navy over nearly four decades, GRSE is currently refurbishing the Marine Acoustic Research Vessel INS Sagardhwani, originally built by the DPSU in 1994.

On December 4, 2023, GRSE successfully delivered INS Sandhayak, the largest survey vessel built in India, to the Indian Navy. The shipyard is concurrently working on three more vessels of this class at various stages of completion, which GRSE believes will enhance its capabilities in designing and constructing the ORV for NCPOR.

"This contract underscores GRSE's commitment to advancing marine research capabilities through state-of-the-art vessel construction," the statement from GRSE concluded.

Additionally, GRSE has announced promotions within its senior management, elevating Sanat Datta, Goutam Karmakar, and Cdr. Satish Chandra Jha, IN (Retd.) to the position of General Managers. As of June 2024, the government holds a 74.50% stake in GRSE, which underscores its status as a state-owned enterprise focused on warship construction.

Image Source: CNBC TV18