Anil Ambani-led shipbuilder Reliance Naval and Engineering (RNEL) Wednesday launched a 3,000-tonne training ship for the Indian Coast Guard (ICG), which will be delivered in May next year.
The 105-metre long training vessel, the largest ship ever built for the ICG, at the cost of Rs 220 crore, is named 'ICGS Varuna', and was launched at the shipyard of RNEL at the Pipavav Port in Amreli district of Gujarat.
On the occasion, RNEL chief executive officer Debashis Bir told the gathering that the ship would be delivered to the ICG in May 2019.
"The vessel will join the Indian Coast Guard fleet in May 2019 after extensive tests and trials," he said.
Bir said that the 105-metre long vessel is having the capacity to accommodate 242 personnel.
"The training ship has a primary role to impart sea training to cadets as well giving them exposure to the lives of coast guard officers. The vessel is powered by twin diesel engines and can move at a speed of 20 knots," said Bir.
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He said RNEL at present is constructing 20 ships of three different categories for the defence services of the country.
"These projects include five naval offshore patrol vessels and 14 fast patrol vessels, apart from the training ship launched today. Of this, six vessels are expected to be delivered in 2019," the CEO added.
Expressing concern about company's low orderbook, Bir urged the defence forces to "support" the firm by giving more orders.
"Reliance Naval has the largest shipbuilding facility in India. The shipyard has an installed throughput of 140,000 tonne of steel, equivalent to an annual revenue of a minimum Rs 4,000 crore," he said.
"The shipyard presently has a meagre order book of Rs 4,000 crore, which does not justify the huge capital investment in building this most modern shipyard," added Bir.
Rajendra Singh, director general of the Indian Coast Guard, also expressed confidence that the training ship will be delivered in May 2019.