Cochin Shipyard launched the ninth of the 20 Fast Patrol Vessel being built for Indian Cost Guard. The vessel was launched by Smt Hema Subramaniam, wife of Cmde K Subramaniam, CMD, CSL in a simple ceremony at Cochin Shipyard, the shipbuilder said in a press release.
The launching ceremony was attended by Cmde K Subramanaim, CMD, CSL, Capt R S Sundar, Director (Operations), CSL, Shri D Paul Ranjan, Director (Finance), CSL and Shri Sunny Thomas, Director (Technical), CSL and other senior officials. On the occasion Cmde K Subramaniam, CMD laid the Keel of BY – 510 the tenth FPV.
The launch of the vessel comes on the heels of the delivery of the sixth vessel CGS AGRIM which was handed over to the Coast Guard on, 30 May 2014. In 2013-14, CSL delivered five fast patrol vessels to Indian Coast Guard and two high end Platform Supply Vessels to Norwegian owners. The last six months of 2013-14 have been an extremely busy period for the shipyard with seven deliveries being made, virtually one ship every month.
In 2014-15, CSL plans to deliver the remaining FPVs to Coast Guard. During the year the IAC phase two construction will also gain momentum.
State-owned Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) is the largest shipbuilding and maintenance facility in India. It is part of a line of maritime-related facilities in the port-city of Kochi, in the state of Kerala, India. The shipyard specializes in building Platform Supply Vessels and double-hulled oil tankers. The Company is now building the first indigenous aircraft carrier for the Indian Navy.