Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd provides high quality state-of-the-art war vessels to IN and ICG

A Mini Ratna Defence PSU based in Kolkata, the Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) Ltd, is a leading shipyard on the Eastern Seaboard building state-of-the-art warships and crafts for the Indian Navy (IN) and Indian Coast Guard (ICG). GRSE was taken over by the Ministry of Defence in 1960 and is the first ever indigenous warship built for Indian Navy (SDB class) from GRSE’s stables in the late sixties. Over the past 50 years, GRSE has built-up excellent capabilities for in-house ship design and shipbuilding.

The vision of GRSE is “to become a leading International shipbuilder” and its mission is to deliver state-of-the-art war vessels of world class standards to IN and ICG, ensuring high quality, competitive prices and timely delivery. The shipyard is at present executing following shipbuilding orders:

• ASW Corvette class of warships with stealth features for Anti-Submarine Warfare role for IN (four ships). The first ship is slated to be launched by April 2010.

• High speed, Fast Attack Crafts (FACs) with water Jet Propulsion for Indian Navy (six ships).

• Inshore Patrol Vessels (IPVs) for ICG (eight ships).

• Fast Interceptor Boats (FIB) of 12 ton and 5 ton capacity, for coastal security (88 crafts) by the Ministry of Home Affairs.

The shipyard has also undertaken major repair work of a warship of Indian Navy and another warship of a friendly country.

Besides designing and building warships, the Company also manufactures diverse range of engineering equipment like various types of Bailey Bridges, Suspension type Bridges, Centrifugal & Turbine Pumps, Helicopter Traversing Systems, Hydraulic Boat Davits, Capstans, Anchor Windlass and Assembly, and also conducts tests & repair of various types of diesel engines used for marine propulsion/power generation, under license from MTU, Germany.

During the FY (2008-09), GRSE has scaled many new heights, setting several new records in performance. The important accomplishments during the year 2008-09 include:
• The delivery of seven ships in a financial year, and thereby setting the record of highest number of ships delivered in a year. The following ships were delivered during 2008-09:

• INS Airavat, the last of the series of Landing Ship Tank (Large) to IN.
• INS Car Nicobar and INS Chetlat, the first two ships of the series of ten Water Jet Fast Attack Crafts to IN.
• MV Lapathy & MV North Bay–65 passenger-cum-vehicle ferries (RORO vessels) to Andaman & Nicobar Administration.
• MV Afra Bay & MV Karmatang – 100 passenger-cum-vehicle ferries (RORO vessels) to Andaman & Nicobar Administration.

• Highest turnover record (VOP) of Rs 672.69 crore ($147.5 million), a quantum jump of 17 per cent from the previous year.

• Highest net worth of Rs 506.85 crore ($111.17 million), an increase of 4.7 per cent compared to the previous year.

• Achieved “Excellent” rating in MOU based annual performance assessment (to be ratified by MOD) after a gap of 10 years.

• Received ’s Award of Excellence in the category of ‘Import Substitution’ for development of ‘Common Helicopter Traversing System’ for use in the onboard Indian Navy warships — which can handle Sea King type Helicopters from UK, as well as the Advanced Light Helicopter developed indigenously by M/s HAL.

• Received Defence Minister’s Award of Excellence in the category of Innovation for the ‘Design & Manufacture of Double Lane Bridge’. These Pre-Engineered Bridges designed for the highest load class (IRC 70), can be erected at the site very quickly.

• Paid a record dividend of 20 per cent of paid up equity capital, amounting to Rs 24.77 crore ($5.43 million) to the Government of India for the third consecutive year.