Kolkata: Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Ltd, a Navratna Defence Public Sector Undertaking under the Ministry of Defence, achieved yet another milestone on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, by launching the Ocean Research Vessel (ORV) it is building for the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR), Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India.
The launch comes barely five months after the keel laying of the vessel, highlighting GRSE’s capability to achieve milestones ahead of schedule.
Dr Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for the Ministry of Science and Technology and Ministry of Earth Sciences, was the Chief Guest for the event. Dr Srinivasa Kumar Tummala, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences, was present as the Guest of Honour at the event at GRSE’s Rishi Bankim Shipyard in Kolkata.
The ORV was named “Sagar Manthan” by Manju Singh, wife of Dr Jitendra Singh, as per tradition and launched by Smt Kavita Ellanti, wife of Dr Srinivas Kumar Tummala.
The others present at the occasion included senior officials from GRSE, MoES & NCPOR.
The construction of the ORV marks a major boost to the country’s Aatmanirbharta and “Make in India” initiatives, reflecting India’s growing capabilities in shipbuilding and advanced marine engineering for ocean research and exploration.
The 89.50 m long, 18.80 m wide ORV will have a gross tonnage of 5,900 Tons and its speed will be 14 knots at 90% maximum continuous rating (MCR).
Once delivered, the ORV will be capable of Underway Swath Multibeam as well as Geophysical Seismic surveys in coastal seas and deep waters at a maximum depth of 6 km. She will also be able to carry out Conductivity, Temperature and Depth (CTD) profiling and water sampling operations such as biological sampling using vertical and horizontal methods through various nets.
The research vessel will also effectively carry out surface and deep-sea mooring and data buoy operations; seabed sampling using corers and grabs as well as rock dredging with chain bag dredges.
The vessel will also undertake underway atmospheric observations, surface meteorological and current measurements and collect upper air data. Scientists will be able to carry out analytical work and data processing on board. The ship will also provide training and education to scientists and technicians.
GRSE has necessary expertise in the field of survey vessels and has been building them for the Indian Navy for nearly four decades now. The shipyard delivered survey ships to the Navy in the 80s. It also built and delivered the Marine Acoustic Research Vessel INS Sagardhwani to the Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory (NPOL) in 1994. The ship is still in service and recently underwent a refit at GRSE.
GRSE has also completed the delivery of four Survey Vessels (Large) to the Navy. The last of these, Sanshodhak, was delivered on March 30, 2026. These are the largest survey vessels to have been built in India and operated by the Navy.
The shipyard is now building nine warships, including an advanced guided missile frigate under the Navy’s Project 17A, four ASW-SWCs and four Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessels. Apart from these, GRSE is building 32 more platforms, including 13 ships for export. GRSE is also in the advanced stages of concluding a prestigious contract for the construction of five Next Generation Corvettes for the Navy.
Apart from the ORV for NCPOR, the shipyard is also building an Acoustic Research Ship (ARS) for NPOL and two Coastal Research Vessels (CRVs) for the Geological Survey of India.
Dr Jitendra Singh, Minister of Earth Sciences stated that this vessel being built at GRSE represents the growing strength of India’s indigenous shipbuilding, engineering and scientific capabilities.
Dr Srinivasa Kumar Tummala, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences said that he was happy to be at the launch of a GRSE built Ocean Research Vessel for the Ministry of Earth Sciences, which is being constructed under a very important mission of the Government of India called the Deep Ocean Mission. He urged NCPOR and GRSE to keep up the pace and assure all support from the Ministry’s end.
Cmde PR Hari, IN (Retd.), Chairman & Managing Director, GRSE said, “I believe that GRSE epitomises Aatmanirbharta in Warship building and now, with four specialised state-of-the-art Research Vessels being built by GRSE, I would like to rephrase my statement – GRSE epitomises Aatmanirbharta in Design and Construction of Warships and Research Vessels”.
