Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Ltd., a Navratna Defence PSU under the Ministry of Defence, has laid the keels for two Coastal Research Vessels (CRVs) being built for the Geological Survey of India (GSI), marking a key milestone in the project.
Smt. Varsha Ashok Aglawe, Director General, GSI, and the first woman to head the organisation, was the Chief Guest at the keel-laying ceremony. Senior officials from GRSE, GSI, TNSL and Indian Register of Shipping (IRS) also attended the event.
The two CRVs will be 64 metres long and 13 metres wide, with a deadweight of approximately 461 tonnes. Designed for an endurance of 15 days and a top speed of 10 knots, each vessel will accommodate up to 35 personnel.
The vessels will support offshore geological mapping, mineral exploration, dredging, ocean environment monitoring and marine research. They will feature modern scientific laboratories for onboard data processing and sample analysis.
Equipped with Dynamic Positioning System-1 (DP-1), the vessels will be capable of maintaining their position in Sea State 3 conditions. Their diesel-electric propulsion systems will use diesel generators to power the thrusters. The vessels are designed to operate within India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), in water depths ranging from 5 to 1,000 metres.
The project reinforces GRSE’s growing capabilities in the design and construction of specialised research and survey vessels. The shipyard is currently building an Ocean Research Vessel (ORV) for the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR), under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, and an Acoustic Research Ship (ARS) for the Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory (NPOL), under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
GRSE has previously delivered two series of Sandhayak-class survey vessels to the Indian Navy and built the marine acoustic research ship INS Sagardhwani for NPOL, delivered in 1994.
The shipyard has also recently received a Notification of Award (NOA) from Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) for four Platform Supply Vessels (PSVs), further expanding its portfolio of specialised vessels.
Smt. Varsha Ashok Aglawe, DG, GSI, said the vessels would strengthen India’s ability to explore mineral resources beyond its land borders and augment the country’s offshore mineral exploration capabilities. She said the project supports the national vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat @2047 and greater self-reliance in the mineral sector.
Cmde PR Hari, IN (Retd), CMD, GRSE, said the keel laying marked the transition from design and planning to physical construction and expressed confidence that the vessels would be delivered to GSI on schedule and to the highest quality standards.