Keel laid for anti-submarine warfare shallow watercraft

The keel-laying of the sixth anti-submarine warfare shallow watercraft BY 528, Magdala, was held at Cochin Shipyard in the presence of Rear Admiral Satish Shenai, NM, Chief Staff Officer (Training), Southern Naval Command, on Tuesday. 

K.N. Sreejith, Director (Operations), Rajesh Gopalakrishnan, Executive Director (Ship Repairs) S. Harikrishnan, Executive Director (Shipbuilding) of CSL, Cmde S. Parthiban, WPS, Warship Overseeing Team (Kochi), other senior officials from the Navy and Shipyard and representatives from the DNV Classification Society were among those present, said a press release here on Wednesday..

The contract for building eight ASW SWC ships was signed between the Ministry of Defence and Cochin Shipyard Ltd 30 April 30, 2019. The Mahe Class of ships will replace the in-service Abhay class ASW Corvettes of the Indian Navy and are designed to undertake anti-submarine operations in coastal waters, low intensity maritime operations and mine laying operations including subsurface surveillance. The first ship in the series is targeted to be delivered in March 2025, the press release added.

In another ceremony, steel cutting ceremony of the next generation missile vessels for Indian Navy was held on Monday at Cochin Shipyard. Commodore S. Parthiban, Warship Production Superintendent, Warship Overseeing Team (WOT), Kochi conducted the steel cutting of first steel plate for Ship No. BY-531, said a press release.

Cochin Shipyard signed the contract for construction and supply of six Next Generation Missile Vessels for the Indian Navy on March 30, 2023. The order value for these six vessels is ₹9,804 crores. Delivery of the first ship will be in March 2027.