Indigenous Aircraft Carrier News

India's Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) has launched two Ro Pax vessels designed and built for Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI).The vessels launched at present are the third and fourth vessels in the series of 10 vessels order from IWAI, said the largest shipbuilding and maintenance facility in India.Cochin Shipyard is building a total of 8 Nos. Ro Pax vessels and 2 Nos Ro-Ro vessels for Inland Waterways Authority of India.IWAI nominated CSL for the construction of these vessels, which will be operated in strategic locations in National Waterways 1&2. These vessels can accommodate around 200 passengers and will have 8 crews and can carry 2 trucks and 4 cars.

China launched its first domestically built aircraft carrier on Wednesday amid rising tension over North Korea and worries about Beijing's assertiveness in the South China Sea. State media has quoted military experts as saying the carrier, China's second and built in the northeastern port of Dalian, is not expected to enter service until 2020, once it has been kitted out and armed. Foreign military analysts and Chinese media have for months published satellite images, photographs and news stories about the second carrier's development. China confirmed its existence in late 2015.

Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL),  India's largest public sector shipyard, has filed  initial public offering (IPO)document with  the market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI)  to go public. The government approved a stake sale of up to 25 percent. Cochin Shipyard IPO will consist of 34 million shares to raise about INR 1,400-1,500 crore (USD 214 - 229 million). On completion of a successful IPO, CSL will become the first of five state-owned shipbuilding companies to be publicly listed. It has filed a draft red herring prospectus (DRHP) with SEBI. The company, which built India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier, the INS Vikrant, is looking to raise funds to set up new construction and repair facilities.

A new large dry dock is considered essential for future growth of Cochin Shipyard (CSL), says the ministry of shipping, India. This dry dock will enable CSL to construct LNG ships, Large Naval vessels like the proposed second Indigenous Aircraft Carrier, Merchant vessels, like Cape size vessels, etc. The dry dock will also cater to repairs and upgradation of jack-up rigs, semi submersibles, etc. The  estimated cost of the proposed new High Density dry dock is Rs. 1799 Crores ($265 million). The proposal has been approved by Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on 20th July, 2016. Ministry of Environment & Forest has given environment clearance to the project on 9th November, 2016 with a major pre condition of  NBWL Clearance.

GE’s Marine Solutions announced that its LM2500 marine gas turbines will power the Indian Navy’s P17A stealth frigate. The LM2500 gas turbines will be provided by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Industrial and Marine Gas Turbine division, Bangalore, India under license from GE. HAL will assemble and test the LM2500 gas turbines prior to installation; HAL is licensed by GE to do so for Indian Navy LM2500 propulsion applications. HAL also is licensed to provide service and comprehensive support including inspection…

Indian Government has initiated procedures for sale of shares of Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) by seeking expression of interest (EoI) from merchant bankers to manage the initial public offering (IPO). The listing will involve the sale of some 33.98m shares, of which 22.66m will be primary and 11.33m secondary shares offered by the country, which wants to offload a 10% stake. Cochin Shipyard had a paid up share capital of Rs1.13bn ($16.65m) and a net worth of Rs15.61bn. "The proposed IPO will see the government reduce its stake in the company by 10%. Cochin Shipyard will also issue fresh shares through the IPO to raise capital for funding future growth plans," says a company statement. The government will appoint up to three merchant bankers for managing the IPO.

India has undocked its first indigenously-built aircraft carrier INS Vikrant at a simple ceremony at Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) in Kochi, reports PTI. As of this week, the INS Vikrant, with a completed hull and internal structure, is free-floating and will go into static and dynamic trials soon. The ship, built at CSL, will undergo a series of fitment and trial processes before it is ready for propulsion and inducted into the Navy, CSL officials said. "A milestone crossed in shipbuilding IAC INS Vikrant undocked on completion of structural work at CSL,” defense ministry spokesperson Sitanshu Kar tweeted. India's largest aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant's induction into the Navy will be done after a series of static and dynamic trials, they said.

Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL) has launched the 14th of the series of 20 Fast Patrol Vessels (FPV) being built for the Indian Coast Guard. With this, CSL said, it has accomplished a rare feat of achieving three ship building milestones viz, keel laying, launching and delivery of three different ships of a project, on the same day. The vessel ‘ICGS APOORVA’ was launched by Vijaya Goyal, wife of IG S K Goyal in a simple ceremony at Cochin Shipyard. On the occasion, Goyal laid the keel for the 15th FPV. CSL also delivered the eleventh FPV ‘ICGS ANAGH’ to the Coast Guard. It was launched on October 1, 2014. The Protocol of Delivery and Acceptance was signed between Capt R S Sundar, Director (Operations), CSL and the Commanding Officer (Designate) of the vessel Commandant (JG) Manish Bahl.

Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) says it has delivered the third of the series of 20 Fast Patrol Vessels being built for the Indian Coast Guard. The vessel is named “ABHINAV” and will be operated by the Coast Guard station at Kochi. The first vessel was commissioned on 13th December 2013 and the second on 31 December 2013. Like its sister ships, “ ABHINAV” also can move very fast at a speed of 33 knots and will be very effective in supporting the Indian Coast Guard in its anti smuggling, anti piracy operations and fisheries protection and monitoring.

Hon. Raksha Mantri, Shri A K Antony today commissioned the second Fast Patrol Vessel ICGS Abheek of the Indian Coast Guard built by Cochin Shipyard. The event was attended by Prof K V Thomas and other distinguished elected representatives from Kerala. Director General, Coast Guard , Vice Admiral Anurag G Thapliyal, AVSM , Cmde K Subramaniam, Chairman and Managing Director, Cochin Shipyard and other senior officials of Coast Guard and Cochin Shipyard were present on the occasion. The contract for the construction of the 20 Fast Patrol Vessels (FPV) for the Indian Coast Guard was signed on the October 20, 2010. The present vessel was delivered by CSL on October 31, 2013.

GE Marine, headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, announced that four GE LM2500 gas turbines will soon power the Indian Navy’s INS Vikrant, providing 80 megawatts for the country’s first indigenous aircraft carrier. Similar to the INS Vikrant itself, the ship’s propulsion plant (four LM2500 gas turbine modules) were manufactured in India by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd.’s (HAL) Industrial & Marine Gas Turbine (IMGT) Division. Through its license with GE, HAL assembled, inspected and tested the LM2500 gas turbines and module enclosures for INS Vikrant.

Fincantieri’s shipyard in Sestri Ponente (Genova) launched the second of two fleet tankers ordered by the Indian Navy, with delivery scheduled by the end of the next year. Present at the ceremony were Debabrata Saha, ambassador for the Republic of India in Italy and Alberto Maestrini, head of Fincantieri Naval Vessels Business Unit. First announced at Euronaval in 2008, the order is the first surface vessel India has ever made to a European company and followed a selection procedure with strong international competitors, especially from Russia and Korea. At 175 mlong, 25 wide and 19 high, the fleet tanker is a supply and logistic support vessel with a displacement at full load of 27…

GE Marine reports that the Indian Navy commissioned the INS Shivalik stealth frigate on April 29, 2010, at the Indian Navy’s shipyard in Mumbai. This first-in-class frigate, built by Mazagon Dock Ltd. (MDL), is powered by two GE LM2500 aeroderivative marine gas turbines with two diesels in a combined diesel or gas turbine (CODOG) configuration. This project marks the first LM2500-powered ship to enter service with the Indian Navy. The 4,600-ton INS Shivalik measures 469 ft in length with a beam of 55.7 ft.