GRSE plans new yards, eyes merchant fleet

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Kolkata, March 28: Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) Ltd, the 112-year-old public sector shipyard under the defence ministry, plans to set up two more facilities to attract more orders from the Indian Navy as well as private buyers.

GRSE chairman and managing director Rear Admiral (retd) TS Ganeshan said the shipbuilder plans to acquire 40 acres near Kolkata and an equal area downstream at Haldia. There is no scope for expansion at the current location south of Kolkata port.

Vice-Admiral Suresh Mehta, flag officer commanding in chief of the Navy’s eastern command, noted that the government has earmarked Rs 4,700 crore for ship acquisition by the Navy in the latest defence budget of Rs 89,000 crore. Admiral Mehta said the Navy has already placed orders for ships worth Rs 1,400 crore with Mazagaon Docks Ltd, Rs 550 crore with the GRSE, and Rs 100 crore with the Goa Shipyard Ltd.

Following the expansion, the yard is likely to procure more defence orders, Admiral Mehta said. He said the yard has appointed a consortium of consultants including SBI Caps to study the scope for maintaining and repairing merchant vessels at Haldia.

He said the GRSE has orders for 14 fast-attack craft, four anti-submarine craft and 14 ship tanks over the next five to six years at a cost of Rs 3,500 crore. With its new facilities, GRSE is expecting a 45-50% growth.

On Monday, GRSE launched its third landing ship, tank (LST), Airavat. In 1987, it had launched the first, Magar, and in 1997 the second, Gharial. Airavat, 124.8 metres long with a beam of 17.5m, is 60% complete. It would be able to carry 11 main battle tanks, 10 vehicles, four landing craft and 500 troops.

Admiral Ganeshan said the ship has been launched within 17 months from the order, against 25 months for previous launches of similar ships. GRSE delivered three ships and launched four during 2005-06 fiscal, and is expected to deliver four or five ships in the coming financial year at its existing capacity.