By joining the keels of three vessels, Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Ltd. accomplished a remarkable feat. Yards 3030 and 3031 are the third and fourth of a series of eight Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) Shallow Water Craft being built by GRSE for the Indian Navy, while Yard 3028 is the fourth and final in a series of Sandhayak Class Survey Vessels (Large). Vice Admiral S N Ghormade, Vice Chief of Naval Staff, PVSM, AVSM, NM, ADC was the chief guest at the occasion.

A ship’s keel, which extends from stem to stern, is referred to as the spine of the craft. The construction of a ship begins and the hull takes shape only after the keel is laid. In the past, the blocks on which the ship would be constructed would be covered with a sturdy timber beam. Parts of the hull would be attached to this beam or keel as construction went on, and the ship would be completed. In the modern shipbuilding process, the entire keel block is lowered before other sections are attached to complete the ship.

The simultaneous work on three keels demonstrates GRSE’s ability to work on ships of various classes. The Indian Navy uses a Survey Vessel (Large), of which two have already been launched by GRSE, for hydrographic survey and charting of the ocean floor. These vessels are also used to study the entrance to harbors and give naval vessels enough room to approach. On the other hand, the ASW Shallow Water Crafts are powerful anti-submarine platforms loaded with weapons, sonar, and sensors to find and eliminate any underwater threat in Indian territory. Both projects’ vessels are being constructed in accordance with IRS Class Rules.

Cmde P R Hari, IN (Retd), Chairman and Managing Director, GRSE, spoke at the event and discussed how GRSE is utilizing its technical know-how in “Warship Design” and “Supply Chain Management” in addition to the spare capacity of capable private partner shipyards to work on 23 platforms at once. Through the adoption of cutting-edge technology and adherence to contemporary shipbuilding techniques, GRSE is continuously evolving.

The shipyard has had success winning contracts by taking part in competitive bidding and will keep up with demands from the Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard by designing and constructing cutting-edge platforms that are ready for the future.