Article Posted on : - Nov 25, 2016

Landing Craft-Utility (LCU) ship for Indian Navy launched by Union Minister for State of Defenece Subhas Ramrao Bhamre (unseen) at a programe at Garen Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers head office in River Ganga, Kolkata on Thursday. A PTI Photo.

KOLKATA (PTI): Indian Navy's seventh landing craft utility, the largest of its kind, was launched here on Thursday.

A K Verma, Rear Admiral (Retd), Chairman and Managing Director, Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Ltd (GRSE), said that L-57 was fully designed in-house by them.

"This is the largest ship of this kind built anywhere in the world. The ship is cost effective, fuel efficient and best suited for protection of our island territories of Andaman and Nicobar in the Bay of Bengal as well as Lakshadweep islands in the Arabian Sea," he said.

The ship will be extremely useful for joint operations carried out by the Indian Navy and Indian Army for ensuring maritime security and protection of remote islands.

It also has a capability to transport two tanks or four special vehicles and 160 Army troops for landing in remote areas, he said.

Minister of State for Defence Subhas Ramrao Bhamre, who was present on the occasion, said GRSE was one of the most technologically advanced shipyards in the county.

He complimented the shipyard for achieving the highest indigenous content in major weapon platform.