NEW DELHI: A Kolkata-based shipyard will enter into the global warship market by bidding to the navies of the Philippines and Vietnam in the coming months.
Garden Reach Ship Builders will be competing with European and Korean firms in the run-up to the `2,000 crore tenders, to supply two frigates to the Philippines navy. Garden Reach Ship Builders officials claim that negotiations are underway with the Vietnamese navy to supply four warships worth `600 crore.
According to Garden Reach Ship Builders chief Rear Admiral A K Verma (retd), on December 20, the state-run shipyard will hand over a $50 million dollar worth offshore patrol vessel to the Mauritian navy as country’s first export of the warship. The shipyard has earlier gifted a warship to Bangladesh navy and now the deal with Mauritius will be the first ever global export by any Indian shipyard.
The 74 metre long 1,350-ton offshore patrol vessel, Barracuda, with a top speed of 22.5 tonnes, designed for anti-piracy, anti-smuggling and anti-poaching operations can be deployed for search and rescue efforts and can also transport a small detachment of troops, according to Verma. The warship is equipped with a 30 mm gun with stabilised optical remote control system and also holds a helipad.
The deal with Mauritius cost over $58 million dollars and keel of the ship was laid on April 2012, GRSE official further said.
Garden Reach Ship Builders builds commercial and naval ships. GRSE officials say Brunei has shown interest in the Kamorta-class anti-submarine warfare corvettes being built at the shipyard.