The Indian Navy’s first Fleet Support Ship entered the Bay of Bengal on Tuesday after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launched it at Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) in Visakhapatnam.
On his first visit to the shipyard, Singh also laid the keel of the fifth ship of the class and inaugurated an upgraded slipway and a 300-tonne crane.
“With the upgraded Slipway and 300-tonne Goliath Crane, HSL is ready to build larger, more complex ships,” Singh told the gathering. “The launch of FSS-1 and keel laying of FSS-5 show Aatmanirbharta taking shape in steel, extending our Navy’s reach across the Indian Ocean.”
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A ship that keeps other ships at sea
FSS-1 is the first of five Fleet Support Ships that HSL is building for the Navy. It was launched 18 months after its steel was first cut.
The 43,500-tonne ships will refuel and resupply warships at sea. This lets the fleet stay out longer and operate farther from home across the Indian Ocean Region.
HSL designed and built the ship in India. The class has enhanced capacity for cargo and fluids, onboard maintenance workshops, a deck for multi-role helicopters, and self-defence systems.
Laila Swaminathan, President of the Navy Wives Wellness Association, performed the traditional honours and named the ship. It then entered the water to cheers from the gathering.
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