Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Ltd. has signed a deal with the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR) under the Ministry of Earth Sciences for the construction and delivery of an ocean research vessel (ORV). The deal, which was signed on July 16, is said to be worth ₹840 crore and the project is expected to be implemented in the next 42 months. This is the third order that the company has secured in the last month.

In a social media post on X, GRSE said, “Recently, the Government of Bangladesh signed an agreement with the shipyard for an advanced tug for the Bangladesh Navy. GRSE is also building a dredger for the Government of Bangladesh and at least four multi-purpose cargo vessels for a German company, apart from 18 warships for the Indian Navy.”

GRSE is transforming itself and expanding its forte beyond defence vessel production to expand its business horizons. According to the manufacturers, they are fast growing into a destination for specialised vessels. The largest survey vessel ever built in India, INS Sandhayak, was delivered to the Navy by GRSE on December 4, 2023. More such vessels are at various stages of completion at the shipyard.

GRSE said they have the necessary expertise in the field of survey vessels as they have been building them for the Indian Navy for the last four decades.

An official statement by GRSE said: “The vessel, once it is delivered, will be capable of (conducting) Underway Swath Multibeam as well as Geophysical Seismic surveys in coastal seas and deep waters. She will also be able to carry out Conductivity, Temperature and Depth (CTD) profiling and water sampling operations such as biological sampling using vertical and horizontal methods through various nets.”

In addition, the ORV can be utilised for rock dredging with chain bag dredges, seabed sampling with grabs and corers, and surface and deep-sea mooring and data buoy operations.

The vessel that GRSE will construct now will be able to undertake underway atmospheric observations, surface meteorological and current measurements, and collect upper air data. It will be able to deploy and retrieve heavy test/protocol-type equipment and submersibles such as AUVs and ROVs.

The records state that scientists will be able to carry out analytical work and data processing on board. It is said that the ship can also provide training and education to scientists and technicians.