L&T builds first indigenous floating dock for Indian Navy

Indian Navy got its first indigenously-built floating dock with the launch of the L&T Yard 55000 (FDN 2), marking a milestone in the country's quest for self-reliance in shipbuilding.

Anjali Deshpande, wife of Vice Admiral DM Deshpande, controller of warship production and acquisition launched the floating dock at an impressive ceremony at the L&T at Kattupalli near Chennai on Tuesday, a defence statement said.

Vice Admiral Deshpande said the indigenous-built dock was testimony to the capabilities available in India for realising the `Make in India` vision.

The floating dock built by the L&T Shipyard is an indigenously-designed and built platform "with state of the art machinery and control systems" capable of docking warships of up to 8,000 tons displacement, the defence ministry release stated.

"It has high-capacity ballast pumps, along with advanced automated ballast control system. The dock covers provided with the dock facilitate repair and refit activities in inclement weather conditions," it said.

It would also facilitate simultaneous docking of multiple ships, and off-centre docking options, L&T said in a release.

According to L&T, the floating dock would be put through a series of harbour trials before delivery to the Navy.

Once operationalised, it would enhance the technical repair infrastructure of the Navy for ships based at the Andaman & Nicobar Islands as well as for visiting Naval ships.

The floating dock, which is the first Naval shipbuilding project for L&T, is 185m long and 40m wide, and is designed for docking Indian Naval ships and submarines of up to 8,000 ton displacement with draughts of up to seven metres, during both day and night.

"While winning our first mandate from the Indian Navy was satisfying, I am particularly delighted that we have also been able to execute and deliver the FDN-2 well within schedule," the release quoted SN Subrahmanyan, managing director (designate) and president, L&T as saying.

L&T was mandated by the Ministry of Defence in May 2015 to design and build the floating dock for an order value of Rs468 crore. The floating dock will be delivered at Port Blair well within contracted schedule.

The launch of Floating Dock (FDN-2), Yard 55000, designed in-house and built by L&T Shipyard, Kattupalli is a milestone in India's quest for self-reliance in shipbuilding, the defence ministry said.