Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated HSL’s upgraded Slipway-4 and a new 300-tonne Goliath Crane, enabling the yard to build and launch ships up to 45,000 DWT.
He launched FSS-1, the first of five 43,500-tonne Fleet Support Ships for the Indian Navy, and laid the keel for the fifth vessel, FSS-5.
Singh said the upgrades strengthen India’s maritime self-reliance, while HSL CMD Rear Admiral C Raghuram (Retd) said the shipyard is scaling up to meet national and global requirements.
Rajnath Singh Launches INS Surya, Opens HSL’s New 45,000-DWT Shipbuilding Capacity
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has launched INS Surya, the Navy’s first indigenous Fleet Support Ship, as Hindustan Shipyard expands its capacity to build and launch vessels of up to 45,000 DWT.
Summary
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday inaugurated HSL’s upgraded Slipway-4 and a new 300-tonne Goliath Crane at Visakhapatnam, enabling Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) to build and launch ships of up to 45,000 deadweight tonnes (DWT).
This was his first visit to the shipyard, where he also launched FSS-1, the first of five Fleet Support Ships (FSS) being built for the Navy, and laid the keel for the fifth vessel, FSS-5.
What Is A Slipway?
A slipway is the sloping or level bed on which a ship is built and then launched. Because a ship’s full weight rests on it during construction and launch, the slipway decides how big a ship a yard can take on.
HSL said the upgraded Slipway-4 has “extended length and enhanced load-bearing capability.”
What Does 45,000 DWT Mean?
Deadweight tonnage is the weight a ship can carry, including cargo, fuel, stores and crew. It does not include the weight of the ship itself. The 300-tonne crane spans Slipways 3 and 4 and supports the work.
The five Fleet Support Ships are described as 43,500-tonne vessels, so they are a different measure and not a direct comparison.
What The Minister Said
Singh praised HSL’s recent milestones and called the yard a pillar of India’s maritime strength. “With the upgraded Slipway and 300-tonne Goliath Crane, HSL is ready to build larger, more complex ships,” he said.
He added that the launch of FSS-1 and the keel laying of FSS-5 showed Aatmanirbharta, or self-reliance, “taking shape in steel.”
Additionally, Singh also emphasised that Andhra Pradesh was poised to be a principal architect of India’s maritime future. Every ship leaving HSL, he said, carries the name of Hindustan itself.
The Launch
FSS-1 entered the Bay of Bengal after Laila Swaminathan, president of the Navy Wives Wellness Association, performed the traditional rituals and named the vessel. The Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, attended the events.
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The chairman and managing director of HSL, Rear Admiral C Raghuram (Retd) said HSL was “ready to deliver next-generation ships for the nation and for the world.”
Raghuram said the yard had commissioned two warships and recorded its best year and was now marking three milestones in a single day.
Adding further, he said that HSL was scaling up to meet the country's needs.
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