The Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western
Naval Command, Vice Admiral Shekhar Sinha commissioned INS Makar into
the Indian Navy today. Makar is a catamaran hydrographic survey vessel and is
the first of its kind to be inducted in the Indian Navy. The vessel is
indigenously built by Alcock Ashdown Gujarat Ltd. The primary role of the ship
is to undertake hydrographic surveys, required for production of nautical
charts and publications aimed at improving navigational safety at sea. Makar
is equipped with an array of modern surveying equipment and also undertake
limited oceanographic surveys towards providing marine environmental data.
The ship is propelled by four Cummins engines as well as two bow thrusters. The ship has two survey motor boats. Her equipment outfit for hydrographic survey includes Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) and Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) for closer investigations, advanced Electronic Positioning System, Multibeam Swath Sounding Systems and Sub Bottom Profiler. She also has a full range of the latest oceanographic and land survey equipment.
Accommodation for six officers and 44 sailors incorporates advanced ergonomic design and ensures crew comfort and space management. The ship has enhanced Indian Navy's already existing world class sea/ocean survey capability.
More Information on Makar Class Survey
Catamarans
Alcock Ashdown Survey Catamarans are a series of
six 500 ton Aluminium hulled Hydrographic Survey Catamarans being built by
Alcock Ashdown (Gujarat) Ltd at itsBhavnagar shipyard for the Indian Navy. The
ships are based on Sea Transport Solutions design part of Austal group,
Australia. The vessels are intended to undertake coastal hydrographic survey
and are also capable of limited coastal defense role in an emergency, limited
search and rescue capability and limited ocean research.
Alcock Ashdown (Gujarat) Ltd was awarded this
contract, worth Rs 700-crore on December 28, 2006 through open competitive
bidding, beating players like Larsen & Toubro,ABG Shipyard and Garden Reach
Shipbuilders & Engineers.
The ship is designed to carry standard
hydrographic survey equipment and also Kongsberg Maritime's HUGIN 1000
Autonomous underwater vehicle. The first vessel of the series named INS Makar
was launched in February 2010, and the second one, INS Meen was launched
on 2 March 2010.
As per original term of contract the first vessel
was to be delivered by April 6, 2009, while the remaining five vessels were to
be delivered within a year from July 6, 2009. But it was rescheduled now the
delivery of vessels starts from September 2012 to March 2013.
Specification:
- Length
: 49.8 m (163 ft)
- Beam
(MID) : 16.0 m (52.5 ft)
- Depth
(MID) : 4.5 m (15 ft)
- Maximum
Draft when loaded : 2.2 m (7.2 ft)
- Range
: 3,000 nautical miles (5,600 km; 3,500 mi) at economic cruising
- Cruising
Speed : 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
- Maximum
speed : 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph)
- Power:
2 × 1,007 KW Cummins KTA 38M2 and 2 × 567 KW Cummins QSK 19M.
No comments:
Post a Comment