INS Makar Commissioned

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.