New Coastal Research Vessels for National Institute of Ocean Technology
Kolkata, 15 February, (HS): In accordance with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Make In India’ vision, a most modern coastal research vessel has been commissioned here to boost the efforts of Indian scientists to conduct various oceanographic research missions in and around the huge coastal zones of the country.
Built by Titagarh Wagons Limited,a flagship company of the Titagarh Group,this most modern Research Vessel called– Sagar Anveshika – for the National Institute of Ocean Technology under the Union Ministry of Earth Sciences was commissioned four months before the scheduled date here yesterday in spite of it having a very complex and advanced technological aparatus.
Last year a similar vessel called ‘Sagar Tara’ for similar research missions was delivered to NIOT whcih has been giving a yeoman’s service to the country’s various oceanographic research missions for the past several months.
Speaking on the occasion, M. A. Atmanand, Director NIOT complimented Titagarh Wagons for showcasing their technical prowess in dealing with the complexity of manufacturing and commissioning and that too before time, a scientific research vessel for the advancement of ocean technology and research in India.
‘With this new vessel NIOT will now be able to proudly explore various oceanographic research in multiple dimensions’. Moreover, he said, India’s private sector participation in partnering the Government was now seen at an optimal high boosting the vision of ‘Make in India’.
This new ship will be utilized for shallow water operations along entire Indian coast for the various programmes of MoES and will be a National facility for ocean research. These ships are versatile ocean observing platforms equipped with advanced scientific equipment and mechanical handling equipment for oceanic survey, observations and explorations.
The Commiddioning of the new ship was also attended among others by D. Rajasekhar, Project Director, Vessel Management Cell, NIOT, B. K. Thakur, Project Director, Ministry of Earth Sciences and Jagdish Prasad Chowdhary, Executive Chairman, Titagarh Wagons Limited.
The agreement for design,building and supplying of two such research vessels were signed in February 2017, between Titagarh Wagons Limited and the National Institute of Ocean Technology under the Ministry of Earth Sciences at a cost of Rs 100 crores.
