HSL Signs Pact with Turkish Shipyard

India's Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) has finalized Anadolu Shipyard (ADIK) Istanbul, Turkey, as their collaborator for construction of five Fleet Support Ships (FSS) for Indian Navy worth more than INR 160 bln (US$ 2.3 bln).

The Istanbul-based shipyard is a member of TAIS group in Turkey and will support HSL in designing and assist in construction.  

HSL Chairman and Managing Director Rear Admiral LV Sarat Babu said that this will enable HSL to imbibe best ship building practices and modern technology — pre-outfitting, modular construction and zonal painting.

Earlier, HSL had shelved the plan for forging a strategic partnership with Hyundai Heavy Industries owing to the insistence for building the first ship in South Korea and source major components required for the project from there.

The Hindu quoted Sarat Babu as saying: "As per the latest development, the Turkish conglomeration named TAIS and HSL will roll out the first ship in four years. The project will give a big fillip to the MSME sector. All the five ships will be built in Visakhapatnam."

He further said that they would sign the contract with TAIS in a month followed by a formal agreement with the Navy for building the ships.