GRSE Redefining Indian Shipbuilding Industry

GRSE

Redefining Indian Shipbuilding Industry

Peninsular India provides optimum conditions for the development of a maritime nation. With the Navy’s plans for expansion in the emerging maritime security scenario, there is a huge scope for strategic as well as commercial shipbuilding in the country. The impending shipbuilding loads have reached unprecedented levels and the Indian shipyards are entrusted with the task to cater to the maritime needs. And among the public sector shipyards, Kolkata-based Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Limited (GRSE), has been in the frontline fulfilling the goal of self-reliance in shipbuilding and boosting the fleetaddition of maritime security forces.

Over the last six decades, Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Limited (GRSE) has been playing a key role in enhancing the defence preparedness of India by building the most modern warships for the maritime forces. GRSE since 1960 has built and delivered 106 warships of various size and capabilities, starting from state-of-the-art Corvettes, Multipurpose Frigates to Fast Patrol Vessels. In addition to warships, GRSE has also built & supplied 780 various types of vessels, to carry men and materials, as well as for surveillance purpose at the Coast Line by the police forces of different states and union territories.

GRSE has developed capabilities for in-house design and shipbuilding and has made considerable contributions to the indigenous warship construction program of the country.

Over the last six decades, Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Limited (GRSE), Kolkata, has been playing a key role in enhancing the defence preparedness of India by building the most modern warships for the maritime forces. GRSE has been credited with many firsts in the Indian shipbuilding industry. The company continues to associate with several technology firms in the industry like MTU and other international/ domestic organizations for its different business segments such as diesel engines and deck machinery, which has added to its credibility in the international market. Being at the frontline of the maritime industry, GRSE is one of the most trusted maritime partners in India.

Major Milestones

• “INS AJAY”, the first warship made in the country after independence was built and delivered by GRSE in 1961. • GRSE built the four Anti-Submarine Warfare Corvettes (ASWCs) for the country as designed by the Indian Navy’s Directorate of Naval Design. Four ships of the Kamorta Class ASWCs namely INS Kamorta, INS Kadmatt, INS Kiltan, INS Kavaratti. • The First Fleet Replenishment Tanker, “INS ADITYA” for Indian Navy was built by GRSE. • Landing Ship Tanks INS Magar, INS Gharial, INS Shardul, INS Kesari and Airavat are indigenously designed amphibious ships having a tonnage of 5,650 tonnes, were supplied by GRSE. • GRSE has delivered the first ever warship built in India for Export, Offshore Patrol Vessel CGS Barracuda to the Republic of Government of Mauritius. CGS Barracuda was commissioned on 12 Mar 15 at Port Louis, Mauritius in the august presence of Prime Ministers of both the countries. • GRSE has supplied six (6) survey vessels capable of all types of Oceanographic Research and Hydrographic Survey to the Indian Navy named as INS Sandhyak, INS Nirdeshak, INS Nirupak, INS Investigator, INS Jamuna and INS Sutlej. • First Indian Shipyard to have built Hovercrafts for Indian Coast Guard.

Modernization

GRSE has been taking steps to ensure streamline & improve upon the processes and procedures, adopt modern practice and technology, enhance capacity and modernize infrastructure and improve on governance, in line with Government’s commitment for strong and effective Public Sectors services.

GRSE has enhanced its shipbuilding capacity by modernizing the infrastructure facilities. GRSE had completed huge modernization programme in its main works that allows using modular construction for building warships, which enable us to reduce the shipbuilding period, improve quality through the implementation of integrated construction technology, and to construct ships in line with the global practices in the shipbuilding industry.

The new facility provides Modular and Integrated Construction of warships. With the modernization and revitalization, GRSE facilities have the capacity to build 18 ships (06 large & 12 small) simultaneously.

Thrust on Indigenization

INS Kamorta, INS Kadmatt & INS Kiltan the First Three of Class of 04 ASW Corvettes became the first Warships built in the country with indigenously developed Warship Grade Steel, thus having the distinction of achieving over 90 % Indigenous Content and hence a major step towards achieving self-reliance in state of the art Warship Design and Construction.

GRSE gives prime importance to the government’s Make in India initiative through the indigenization of the components used in our warships. Over the last one decade, the shipyard has

Rear Admiral VK Saxena IN (Retd.)

CMD, GRSE

achieved large scale of indigenization of warship components. More than 92% of the components of the warships are indigenously made. Focus is also given on incorporating MSMEs by indigenizing the components for both portable bridges and deck machinery.

GRSE has analyzed complete production activity and identified core and strategic operations. Accordingly, comprehensive mapping of non-core activities has been carried out and accordingly the long-term outsourcing and vendor development strategy has been framed in line with the outsourcing and vendor development guidelines forwarded by MOD.

Diversified Services

Apart from shipbuilding & ship repair, GRSE is the only Defence Shipyard to have diversified into Engineering Business with a product profile of pre-fabricated steel bridges, various deck machinery items & assembly/ testing/ overhauling of marine Diesel Engines. GRSE is the only shipyard with a separate engineering division, and that division primarily handles the portable steel bridges.

Since 1967, GRSE has delivered more than 5000 portable steel-bridges, mainly to Indian Army, Border Roads Organisation and various state governments like J&K, Uttarakhand, North Eastern states etc. The company has been exporting the bridges to Myanmar and Bhutan and is exploring the possibilities to export it to Latin American country Peru. There are various classes of portable bridges according to its loading capacity and terrain conditions. GRSE also makes suspension bridges. GRSE dominates the portable bridge sector. The portable bridge at Khardung La pass, built by GRSE is currently the portable bridge at maximum altitude.

The Bailey Bridge Division of GRSE has augmented its capacity and also commenced production of Portable Steel Bridges from its new unit at Ranchi from Jul 2016 to meet the growing demand. The Bailey Bridge Unit’s design and development department is involved in continuous up gradation of the product to keep abreast with the changing market scenario. The unit has 4 patented designs to its credit.

The deck machinery, built by GRSE, includes the boat davits, single arm davits, marine pumps, windlass, anchor capstans, helicopter traversing system etc. The company is improvising its designs to increase the reliability and reduce the weight. GRSE also introduced in India for the first time the rail-less helicopter traversing system, built by MacTaggart Scott UK. GRSE also make hanger-shutters.