Indian DPSU GRSE Emerges Lowest Bidder to Build Four Vessels for Navy

Indian DPSU Emerges Lowest Bidder In Procuring Four Vessels For the Navy

Indian Defense Public Sector unit (DPSU) Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) has emerged as the lowest bidder with $390 million (2500 crore INR) bid for four vessels for the Indian Navy.

“The bids for the programme were opened on Monday for four vessels which are for the hydrographic branch of the Indian Navy. These vessels are expected to be designed in-house,” Financial Express reported quoting unnamed sources as saying Wednesday.

The DPSU beat Larsen & Toubro to become L1 bidder for the project. Other shipyards also responded to the Request for Proposal (RFP) issued by the Indian Navy in 2015. Hindustan Shipyard bid $88 million (563 crore INR), Goa Shipyard $88.7 million (568 crore INR) , Cochin Shipyard $89.5 million (573 crore INR) and Shoft Shipyard $104 million (670 crore INR) eraocre

GRSE will deliver the first vessel three years after the deal is signed and the rest of the vessels subsequently every one year thereafter.

Senior officers told Fe, “The plan is to completely revamp the hydrographic branch. Apart from meeting its own requirements, the navy also helps the friendly neighbouring countries in carrying out hydrographic surveys which are critical for maritime operations.”

The survey vessel is any type of ship or boat that is used for mapping. It is a type of research vessel. The basic task of survey vessels is to map the bottom, benthic zone, full water column and surface for the purpose of hydrography, general oceanography, marine habitats, salvage, dredging and marine archaeology.

The Indian Navy already has a fleet of 10 research and survey vessels in service in three different class namely: Sagardhwani Class (2 vessels), Sandhayak Class (7 vessels) and Makar Class (1 vessel).