Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to inaugurate upgraded facilities at HSL in Vizag
Visakhapatnam, Oct 5 (TNT): Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will inaugurate the upgraded Slipway-4 and 300-tonne Goliath Crane, besides launching Fleet Support Ship-1 (FSS-1) and laying the keel for FSS-5 at Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) here on Tuesday.
The visit will mark three significant milestones in HSL’s efforts to enhance its indigenous shipbuilding capabilities.
The upgraded Slipway-4, with extended length and enhanced load-bearing capacity, will be supported by the 300-tonne Goliath Crane and enable the shipyard to build and launch vessels of up to 45,000 DWT, significantly expanding its capacity to undertake large and complex platforms.
The crane has been built under the Make in India initiative by L&T Geostructure in association with Konecranes.
Dring his maiden visit to the Shipyard, Rajnath will also launch FSS-1, the first Fleet Support Ship being built by HSL for the Indian Navy.
The 43,500-tonne vessel is designed to replenish warships at sea and enhance the Navy’s operational endurance and reach across the Indian Ocean Region.
FSS-1 is the first of five Fleet Support Ships being built by HSL and is scheduled to enter the waters of the Bay of Bengal around 18 months after steel cutting.
The Defence Minister will also lay the keel of FSS-5, the fifth Fleet Support Ship in the series, marking the commencement of its construction and the programme’s progression towards series production.
TNT KM
