HSL starts building Navy’s 1st indigenous fleet support ship

Visakhapatnam: After a few days of posting the highest-ever turnover since inception, Hindustan Shipyard Ltd (HSL), the premier shipbuilding yard in the country set up in 1941, has achieved another milestone by launching work on building India’s first indigenously designed Fleet Support Ship (FSS) for the Indian Navy.

The project for constructing five FSS has been awarded to HSL under ‘Atma Nirbhar India’ mission. The contract at an estimated cost of Rs 19,000 crore with the Ministry of Defence was signed in August, 2023.

The ships are scheduled to be delivered by the HSL from mid-2027 onwards. On induction, FSS will bolster the ‘Blue Water’ capabilities of the Indian Navy through replenishment of fleet ships at sea.

Fleet support ships carry and deliver fuel, ammunition and stores enabling prolonged operations without returning to the harbour thereby enhancing the fleet’s strategic reach and mobility. In the secondary role, the ships are equipped for humanitarian aid and disaster relief operations for evacuation of personnel in emergency situations and quick delivery of relief material at site during natural calamities.

Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane took part in the steel cutting of India’s first FSS on Wednesday, marking the beginning of yet another glorious chapter in the history of HSL, which saw the rolling out of several ships, tugs and patrol vessels. The yard, which also specialises in repairs and retrofitting of submarines, clocked a turnover of Rs 1597 crore during FY24, over three-fold increase in revenue over FY21, when it was just Rs 478 crore.

Later Aramane laid the foundation stone for augmentation of slipway and major infrastructure modernisation to enhance capacity and capability of the yard. The ceremony was also witnessed by Vice Admiral Rajesh Pendharkar, Flag Officer Command-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command, Collector A Mallikarjuna, Commissioner of Police Ravi Shankar and Director General (Naval Science & Material) Y Sreenivas Rao.

Cmde Hemant Khatri, Chairman and Managing Director of HSL, said the FSS project was very prestigious for them and informed that the project will provide business to nearly 550 MSMEs in and around Visakhapatnam and employment opportunity to over 3,000 personnel. The CMD also showcased the improvement of the yard’s indices in recent years by clocking the highest ever revenue of Rs 1,597 crore, almost 3.3 times more than that of FY21.

The CMD reiterated HSL’s commitment towards innovation, sustainability, and collaboration and said that HS stands as a testament to India’s shipbuilding prowess, consistently delivering cutting-edge solutions in shipbuilding, ship repairs and submarine retrofit.

During his visit, Aramane, who interacted with the senior officials, motivated the employees of HSL. During his address he conveyed that the government of India will see to it that a national asset like HSL is utilised effectively and efficiently. Present ship building trend is showing an upcoming boom in shipbuilding orders from both the defence and commercial sector and HSL is geared up to take on any challenge in its field of profession.

HSL officials said the ongoing infrastructure upgrades, including the installation of a cutting-edge 300T goliath crane and slipway upgrades, will further enhance HSL’s capacity to undertaken ongoing FSS construction project and future projects like the Landing Platform Dock (LPD), reinforcing its role in meeting the defence and commercial sector requirements under the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative.