The construction of five Fleet Support Ships by Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) will create huge employment opportunity for the skilled manpower.
HSL held another round of crucial discussion with the Turkish consortium TAIS as a prelude to signing of contract for designing and construction of the ships for the Indian Navy. One of the important features of the agreement will be transfer of technology and know-how to HSL and construction in Visakhapatnam under ‘Make in India’ initiative-the flagship programme of the Government of India.
The project will increase the required manpower by three-fold by giving an opportunity to the MSMEs and others involved in fabrication, blasting, piping, cable installation and outfitting.
The project cost of the five Fleet Support Ships being built for the first time by HSL is estimated to be ₹10,000 crore.
HSL is also bidding for construction of six submarines for Indian Navy by forming a consortium with MIDHANI and BHEL. The submarines cost around ₹45,000 crore and the project will be awarded to one of the Indian shipbuilder to take up construction as a joint venture with a foreign company.
HSL sources say after building the first Fleet Support Ship in four years from the date of hull-laying, the remaining will be taken up in a gap of 10 months from one another. The shipyard has sought bids through global tender, in which three were found to be technically qualified out of eight bidders.
The CEO of Anadolu Shipyard, one of the main members of Turkish consortium, Omer Urkmez, recently visited Visakhapatnam and expressed his satisfaction over facilities available at HSL.