Defense Minister Rajnath Singh will launch Fleet Support Ship-1 (FSS-1) and lay the keel of Fleet Support Ship-5 (FSS-5) at Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) in Visakhapatnam on October 6, 2026.
Singh will also inaugurate the upgraded Slipway-4 and a 300-tonne Goliath Crane as part of the shipyard’s infrastructure expansion.
Fleet Support Ship program
FSS-1 is the first of five Fleet Support Ships being constructed by HSL for the Indian Navy. The vessel is scheduled to enter the Bay of Bengal 18 months after the start of steel cutting.
With a displacement of 43,500 tonnes, the ships are designed to replenish naval vessels at sea, supporting longer deployments and extending the operational endurance and reach of the Indian Navy across the Indian Ocean Region.
The keel laying of FSS-5 marks the progression of the program towards series production at HSL.
HSL upgrades shipbuilding infrastructure.
The upgraded Slipway-4 has been enhanced with greater length and load-bearing capacity. Combined with the new 300-tonne Goliath Crane, the facility will enable HSL to construct and launch vessels of up to 45,000 deadweight tonnes.
The upgraded infrastructure is expected to expand the shipyard’s capacity to undertake larger and more complex vessel construction programs.
Other HSL projects
HSL is also constructing 60-tonne bollard pull tugs for the Visakhapatnam Port Authority. The shipyard laid the keel of the second tug in September.
The company has also outlined plans to establish a shipbuilding complex at Dugarajapatnam, further expanding its shipbuilding capabilities in Andhra Pradesh.
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