Chennai: The Seventh of the Eight Landing Craft Utility (LCU) IN LCU L 57,built at Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited (GRSE), a Mini Ratna Category 1 & leading shipyard of the countrywas commissioned today at Port Blair by Lt. General PS Rajeshwar PVSM, AVSM, VSM, ADC CINCAN. The ship is the 103rd warship delivered by GRSE.
From building 05 ton boats to 24600-ton Fleet Tanker, GRSE has done it all and has proved its mettle as a pioneer warship builder of the nation.GRSE built ships are varied in their range and scope. From Anti Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Crafts, Frigates, Missile Corvettes, Anti-Submarine Warfare Corvettes, Fleet Tankers, Landing Ship Tank, Landing Craft Utility to Survey Vessels, Offshore Patrol Vessels and Fast Attack Crafts – the repertoire is rich and varied. GRSE has embraced infrastructure modernization over past decades towards creating an integrated shipbuilding facility enabling concurrent construction of 20 ships.GRSE has once again proves its ability to provide end-to-end solutions to their customers ranging from product conceptualization, design, system integration and project management, thereby enhancing the capability to meet customer demands. Key areas of strength of the shipyard include a strong, multi-disciplinary design expertise, production acumen and focused project planning & execution approach. These are traits that have helped the shipyard create strong differentiators in its path of growth.
The entire design of these LCU Mark IV ships has been developed in-house by GRSE as per requirements specified by Indian Navy.The LCU Mark IV Class of ships are fitted with close to 90% indigenous content in line with the Govt.
Another class of Landing Ships indigenously designed and built by GRSE are the Landing Ship Tanks (LST). Amphibious warfare vessels, INS Magar and INS Shardul are active part of Operation “Samudra Setu” in which several aircraft of the Indian Air Force and vessels of the Indian Navy have been deployed to bring back stranded Indians amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. GRSE is also supporting the nation’s fight against COVID-19 through contributions to PMCARES fund and distribution of ‘Masks’, ‘Sanitisers’, ‘Soap’ and food grains to the needy amongst the community around the Company.
Currently GRSE has a strong order book of over Rs.27000 Crore equipping the shipyard with a deep pool of revenue-generating projects. 18 ships which include 08 ASWSWC, 03 P17A, 04 Nos. Survey Vessels (Large), 01 LCUs, 02 FPVs are in various stages of construction and are expected to be delivered to the Indian Navy and the Indian Coast Guard accordingly. GRSE continues to sail on a growth trajectory with increased thrust on export of warships, incorporation of latest technologies (Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Data Analytics) in various areas of operations to improve internal efficiencies & profit margins.