Defence Minister Rajnath Singh today launched Fleet Support Ship 1, laid the keel for Fleet Support Ship 5 and inaugurated the upgraded Slipway 4 along with a 300 tonne Goliath Crane at Hindustan Shipyard Limited in Visakhapatnam.

The upgraded Slipway 4 and the newly installed crane will allow the shipyard to construct and launch vessels of up to 45,000 DWT. The facilities will also expand its ability to undertake the construction of larger vessels.

Fleet Support Ship 1 is the first of five Fleet Support Ships being constructed for the Indian Navy. The 43,500 tonne vessel entered the waters of the Bay of Bengal 18 months after steel cutting began.

The Fleet Support Ships are designed to provide fuel, water and other essential supplies to Indian Navy warships at sea, allowing them to remain deployed for longer periods.

The keel laying ceremony for Fleet Support Ship 5 marks another step forward in the construction of the series.