GRSE ship commissioned at Port Blair

Kolkata: The eighth and last in the Mark-IV series of LCUs was commissioned to the Navy at Port Blair on Thursday in the presence of Lt Gen Manoj Pande, commander-in-chief, Andaman and Nicobar Command and Rear Admiral V K Saxena (retd), CMD, Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE). This LCU, christened L-58, was built by

GRSE

at Kolkata and delivered to the Navy.

GRSE has built and delivered a record 107 warships over the last 60 years. Most of these were for the Indian Navy and Coast Guard while two were exported to the Mauritius and the Seychelles.

"The Mark-IV LCUs were entirely designed by GRSE as per requirements of the Navy. Their primarily role is to carry troops and equipment for amphibious operations. They also play important roles during Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations. With a top speed of 15 knots and equipped with two CRN 91 guns, the LCUs play an important role for the Army during beaching operations. The guns provide necessary artillery support," a senior official said.

At the moment, GRSE is building 16 ships, including three advanced stealth frigates under the Navy's Project 17A. The shipyard has also bagged orders for Shallow Water Anti-Submarine Warfare craft and advanced survey vessels from the Navy.