Indian Shipbuilding Industry : News & Updates
- Thread starter Tatvamasi
- Start date
Good report, sadly too small to read
New tech speeds up warship making
INDIA has accelerated its speed of making warships. Aided by technology, design software, modern construction techniques and helped by a growing domestic manufacturing base, the warship construction pace is almost matching that of the shipyards in Europe. More than 60 warships and submarines are currently being made across multiple shipyards in India. Significant are two classes of warships — the Nilgiri class stealth frigates and the Visakhapatnam class guided missile destroyers.
Excluding the INS Vikrant, the aircraft carrier commissioned in August last year, the Nilgiri class and the Visakhapatnam class are the biggest and most complex warships ever made in India. Both have an added focus on ‘Make in India’. It is not just the weapons these ships will carry, it is the pace of construction that needs to be noted.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) opted to have ‘integrated construction’ on warships 10 to 12 years back. This entails various parts of a ship, particularly its hull, superstructure and internal systems, getting designed to be manufactured in separate blocks, which are aligned seamlessly to create the ship’s structure.
In the past five-six years, new infrastructure has been added at shipyards, supply lines established and artificial intelligence applied to arrive at the ‘sequencing’ of putting together a warship, including sourcing of material and production timelines.
Nilgiri class frigates
The first project using integrated construction is the ongoing construction of seven ships of the Nilgiri class stealth frigates. The technique has since being extended to make other ships. Four of the Nilgiri class warships are under construction at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders (MDL), Mumbai, and three at the Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata. Both the shipbuilders are public sector enterprises under the MoD.
The Nilgiri class is a massively upgraded derivative of the Shivalik class frigates — three of these were commissioned into the Navy between 2010 and 2012. The build period of Shivalik class — from keel-laying, then launch at sea and finally to commissioning — was almost nine years for each of them.
The Shivalik class is seen as a turning point in ship-making as India started using its own steel, the DMR 249A. From then onwards, warships use the same steel. Before the DMR 249A, India had been importing steel from Russia. Now SAIL, Jindal and Essar make it.
In contrast to the Shivalik class, the first of the Nilgiri class — from keel-laying to commissioning — is expected to take about six years and six months and is targeted for commissioning in mid-2024. An official said, “As the design parameters and manufacturing process have settled down, the time taken for each ship is getting compressed.” The last four of the Nilgiri class ships are scheduled to take just about five years to make — from keel-laying to commissioning. Six of the Nilgiri class warships have been launched at sea. The Nilgiri and the Himgiri were launched in 2019 and 2020, respectively. Four warships — Udaygiri, Dunagiri, Taragiri and Vindhyagiri — have been launched at sea in the past 15 months. And the seventh and last ship, Mahendragiri, is set for launch in September — meaning five launches in just about 16 months. Six ships of the Nilgiri class are scheduled to be commissioned between 2025 and 2027.
Commodore PR Hari (retd), Chairman and Managing Director of GRSE, says, “We estimate a reduction in build period in the construction of the Nilgiri class. Reduction in manhours has been aided by the adoption of new technologies, improving efficiency.”
Integrated construction working
Ship designers at the Navy’s Warship Design Bureau (NDB), New Delhi, and the ship builders have worked out a formula to fit in maximum equipment before the warship is launched at sea and the outfitting of equipment gets done later. A ship has to be launched at sea to check its capacity in water. Secondly, an entire warship cannot be built on a dry dock as it would block the dry dock for a longer period.
As of now, 37 per cent of the warship is ready by the time it is launched at sea. The target is to get 40 per cent of the ship ready at launch, a functionary said. This includes the superstructure of the ship, its propeller, pumps, piping and cabling. Timelines are faster. Each block is about 250 tonnes. It is designed and built with precision to allow cabling and piping to pass through when two sets of blocks are welded together.
Design element
The Navy’s Warship Design Bureau uses a software to predict what a ship would be like. It suggests a reduction in radar signature, making it difficult for the enemy radars to track it mid-sea. The software predicts the turning radius, its zig-zag sailing ability and its infra-red signature, besides the ability to sustain in water, its capacity, what sort of power it needs.
The NDB’s work starts from the concept, the design and till the entire project is completed — meaning, when all ships of a particular project are commissioned and are sailing. This would include the functional design; steering the project past the MoD and the Cabinet Committee on Security; monitoring of physical and financial progress; resolution of design issues; integration and support during trials.
Within the Bureau, the ‘forward design group’ looks at how feasible the design is, its hull and stealth features. Another group does a structural analysis — for strength, vibration and shock.
The Bureau tells about the equipment, layout of machinery, validates fluid systems, it steers system installation and the trials to prove equipment. A key part is crew comfort. The 2D and 3D drawings are used to design comfortable crew quarters and galley design for the food-making process.
Local industry inputs
With stress on self-reliance, the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector has to play a key role. “About 65 per cent of the orders for equipment and systems of ships are placed from indigenous firms, including MSME enterprises. The MSME sector has to streamline supply chains to match ship construction timelines,” said a senior MoD official.
The Indian Naval Indigenisation Plan (INIP) 2015-2030 looks to develop various advanced systems for warships, submarines and planes. It lays down requirements of the Indian Navy and lists out the equipment which can be taken up for indigenisation in the coming years.
Speed up for other warships
Four ships of the Visakhapatnam class guided missile destroyers are a follow-on to the Kolkata class, three warships of which were commissioned between 2014 and 2016. Each ship took more than 10 years from keel-laying to commissioning.
The INS Visakhapatnam took eight years to make. The next ship of the class, INS Murmagao, was commissioned within seven years. The remaining two, Imphal and Surat, have both been launched at sea and are targeted to be commissioned within six years of keel-laying.
Commodore Nair says, “Integrated construction is being applied for Survey Vessel Large, and Anti-Submarine Shallow Water Crafts.” The next generation offshore patrol vessels will be executed with the same technology, he adds.
What the future holds
The Navy has set a target of completing the design in two-three years for new ships like the eight Next Generation Corvettes (NGCs), okayed by the Defence Acquisition Council at a cost of Rs 36,000 crore. The MoD, in June 2022, said: “NGCs would be constructed based on new in-house design of Indian Navy using latest technology of ship building.” The target to make an NGC from keel-laying to commissioning is four years.
This will bring the shipbuilding speed almost at par with China, South Korea and Japan. Probably another technology push is needed for the Indian shipyards.
Our shipyards:
1) MDL
02 P-15B
04 P-17A
01 P-75
2) GRSE
03 P-17A
08 ASWSWC
04 SVL
04 NGOPV
3) CSL
08 ASWSWC
06 NGMV
4) HSL
05 FSS
02 DSV
5) GSL
02 P-11356
07 NGOPV
6) L&T
02 MPV
03 CTS
1) MDL
02 P-15B
04 P-17A
01 P-75
2) GRSE
03 P-17A
08 ASWSWC
04 SVL
04 NGOPV
3) CSL
08 ASWSWC
06 NGMV
4) HSL
05 FSS
02 DSV
5) GSL
02 P-11356
07 NGOPV
6) L&T
02 MPV
03 CTS
Great tracking. Have you also looked at the order book for ICG?
Also, any breakup of AON figures?
Thanks.
RFI released = 55 + 120
1. High Speed Landing Crafts = 06
2. National Hospital Ship = 01
3. Multi Purpose Vessels = 02
4. Fast Interceptor Craft-I = 120
5. LHD = 04
6. Next Generation Corvettes = 08
7. New Water Jet Fast Attack Craft = 21
8. Technical Support Craft = 01
9. Mine Counter Measure Vessels = 12
AoN accorded = 18
1. Multi Purpose Vessels = 02
2. Next Generation Corvettes = 08
3. Next Generation Survey Vessels = 05
4. Additional Kalvari class = 03
RFP released = 06
1. P-75I = 06
Under construction = 43
1. Samarthak class MPV = 02
2. Kalvari class SSK = 01
3. Visakhapatnam class DDG = 02
4. Nilgiri class FFG = 07
5. Talwar class FFG = 04
6. Mahe class ASWSWC = 08
7. Arnala class ASWSWC = 08
8. Sandhyak class SVL = 04
9. Nistar class DSV = 02
10. Diving Support Craft = 05
Contract Signed = 25
1. Cadet Training Ship = 03
2. Next Generation OPV = 11
3. Next Generation Missile Vessel = 06
4. Fleet Support Ship = 05
It is a bit strange that AoN for NGSV has been accorded but no RFI has been released in the public. Also, according to the CNS, government has approved AoN for 51 vessels but I could only get 18.
Last edited:
Perfect. A few comments:
It may be worthwhile to count the Diving Support Craft and other auxiliaries under a separate head. You can then include the MCA and ATCM barges as well.
There are other ships on order/AON which should be counted under a separate head;
- Chakra-3 (Bratsk)
- SOV
- SSBN - at least 2 more
MPV has been double counted under both RFI and AON.
AON numbers are difficult to track as there are a number of ships which have been accorded AON at certain point in time but have not really gotten anywhere. Even RFI numbers are always in flux due to issue and re-issue of RFIs (MCMV and NGFAC/NWJFAC are good examples).
Any handle on ICG orderbook?
GSL is already building 02 Pollution Control Vessels and 08 Fast Patrol Vessels for ICG.
14 Fast Patrol Vessels for ICG: RFP out.
06 NGOPV for ICG: RFP out.
01 Cadet Training Ship for ICG: RFP out.
18 Fast Patrol Vessels for ICG: RFP in 2025.
22 Fast Interceptor Boats for ICG: RFP in 2027.
CSL giant crane arrived, its quite big. With this + the new drydock , possible to build larger IAC upto 68-70k ton
Swan Energy, through its special purpose vehicle Hazel Infra, paid ₹231 crore on Friday to acquire Reliance Naval and Engineering before the deadline of November 15.
The next hearing of National Company Law Tribunal in this case is scheduled for November 22. The company is set to initiate the process for name change soon..
With this acquisition, Swan Energy has firmed up plans to emerge as the biggest private player in the commercial and naval defence vessel manufacturing and ship repairing segments. Apart from targeting major contracts from the naval defence sector, the company is also focussing on driving business for commercial vessel manufacturing and for the oil and gas sector.
www.thehindubusinessline.com
The next hearing of National Company Law Tribunal in this case is scheduled for November 22. The company is set to initiate the process for name change soon..
With this acquisition, Swan Energy has firmed up plans to emerge as the biggest private player in the commercial and naval defence vessel manufacturing and ship repairing segments. Apart from targeting major contracts from the naval defence sector, the company is also focussing on driving business for commercial vessel manufacturing and for the oil and gas sector.
Swan Energy pays â¹231 cr to acquire Reliance Naval and Engineering
Swan Energy, through its special purpose vehicle Hazel Infra, paid â¹231 crore on Friday to acquire Reliance Naval and Engineering before the deadline of November 15.
Hope this company survives and manage to get some defence contracts.Swan Energy, through its special purpose vehicle Hazel Infra, paid ₹231 crore on Friday to acquire Reliance Naval and Engineering before the deadline of November 15.
The next hearing of National Company Law Tribunal in this case is scheduled for November 22. The company is set to initiate the process for name change soon..
With this acquisition, Swan Energy has firmed up plans to emerge as the biggest private player in the commercial and naval defence vessel manufacturing and ship repairing segments. Apart from targeting major contracts from the naval defence sector, the company is also focussing on driving business for commercial vessel manufacturing and for the oil and gas sector.
Swan Energy pays â¹231 cr to acquire Reliance Naval and Engineering
Swan Energy, through its special purpose vehicle Hazel Infra, paid â¹231 crore on Friday to acquire Reliance Naval and Engineering before the deadline of November 15.
Mazagon Dock call audio https://mazagondock.in/audio/Investor-Update-call-Audio-09-11-2023.mp3
also BQ prime live share @Fatalis sirji this might interest you
also BQ prime live share @Fatalis sirji this might interest you
MDL ordered floating dry dock is about 12000 tons capacity, 30 months to commission probably so in about next 2.5-3 years it will be ready to commission.
Reference to Project-76
I am confused as to whether SSN project is Project-75A or 76?
As of now, P76 is the Indeginous SSK non nuclear Submarine Project for which MDL is collaborating with WDB and DRDO.
P75A is the Indeginous SSN project which wll be developed at SBC.