On August 3, the Indian state-owned defense shipyard Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) announced that it had received a Letter of Award from the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) on July 30 for the construction of four platform supply vessels (PSVs).
The new vessel has an overall length of approximately 80 meters, a beam of 20 meters, and a deadweight of 3,000 tonnes; it features an endurance of 45 plus 3 days and is classed by the Indian Register of Shipping (IRS). With an open deck area of approximately 650 square meters, the vessel is capable of performing various offshore logistics and support missions and utilizes advanced technology to facilitate offshore oil and gas exploration and production operations.
The new vessel will feature a hybrid propulsion system, equipped with electric-driven azimuth thrusters and a lithium-ion battery energy storage system. This battery system will support peak load management, spinning reserve, dynamic positioning operations, and emergency response capabilities, thereby enhancing operational efficiency and reducing environmental impact.
GRSE stated that the delivery of the new vessels would provide strong support for the development of India’s offshore energy infrastructure while helping to enhance the country’s indigenous shipbuilding capabilities.
Affiliated with the Indian Ministry of Defence, GRSE is renowned for constructing naval vessels and offshore support vessels. According to its official website, the company’s history dates back to 1884; it currently possesses modern shipbuilding infrastructure—including facilities such as VR laboratories—and boasts an annual production capacity of 20 vessels. Since 1961, the shipyard has delivered over 800 vessels of various types.
Regarding vessels currently under construction, GRSE holds orders for four research vessels and is building 12 multi-purpose cargo ships for a German owner. It also holds orders for defense-related shipbuilding projects and is constructing 13 diesel-electric hybrid ferries.