KOCHI: The Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL), on Tuesday signed a contract for construction and supply of eight Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Crafts (ASWSWC) for Indian Navy. CSL was a successful bidder (L1) in the tender floated by the Ministry of Defence for this project.
The order value for these eight vessels is pegged at `6,311.32 crore. The first vessel is to be delivered within 42 months from the contract date and the remaining will be delivered two ships per year. The project has to be completed within 84 months from the date of signing the contract.
The ASWSWC are designed for a deep displacement of about 750 tonne, speed of 25 knots and complement of 57. They are capable of full scale sub-surface surveillance of coastal waters and coordinated ASW operations with aircrafts. In addition, the vessels will have the capability to interdict/destroy sub surface targets in coastal waters.
They can also be deployed for search and rescue in coastal areas. In their secondary role, they will be capable to prosecute intruding aircraft, and lay mines in the sea bed, a CSL release said here. The vessels will be equipped with highly advanced state-of-the-art integrated platform management systems including propulsion machinery, auxiliary machinery, power generation and distribution machinery and damage control machinery etc. The ASWSWC Corvette’s are also being built class standards, in addition to the owner specific requirements.
The ASWSWC contracts augur well for CSL into the future. CSL is currently investing a total of `2,769 crore in building a new 310 M long dry dock at Kochi and a shiplift based Ship Repair yard at Willingdon Island, Kochi.
CSL presently has a robust order book in Shipbuilding and Ship Repair. Presently, CSL is building India’s first Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) for the Indian Navy which is in advanced stages of testing and commissioning. CSL is also building a Technology Demonstration Vessel for the DRDO, 2 Nos. 1200 PAX and 2 Nos. 500 PAX Vessels for Andaman & Nicobar Administration.
CSL is also constructing a total of 27 small vessels for clients like Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), Department of Fisheries, government Kerala and government of Tamil Nadu and Indian Navy. CSL has recently won the contract for construction of 04 Mini Bulk Carriers for Utkarsh Advisory Services Private Limited, Mumbai, (part of JSW group) and 9 nos. Floating Border Outpost Vessels for the BSF from the Ministry of Home Affairs. CSL also excels in the ship repair front and has handled around 88 repair projects last year; major among them includes INS Vikramaditya, INS Shardul, ICGS Samar and repeat orders for refurbishment of MODUs from ONGC.
CSL has also set ambitious plans of expanding geographically and has commenced its ship repair operations at Mumbai Port Trust. With a view to establish its presence across the Indian Coast, CSL is set to begin ship repair operations at Kolkata and Port Blair shortly. CSL has also formed a Joint Venture Company in Kolkata to cater the needs of the inland waterways vessels segment and is creating a new shipyard in Kolkata for this segment.