Floating Dock Navy-1 (FDN1) is currently put into optimum use and with the number of warships stationed on the coast set to increase significantly in the next decade, the need was felt for the second one.
The Indian Navy plans to acquire at an estimated cost of Rs300 crore its second floating dock which will be stationed at the strategically key Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Floating Dock Navy-1 (FDN1) is currently put into optimum use and with the number of warships stationed on the coast set to increase significantly in the next decade, the need was felt for the second one.
Japanese-built FDN1, which was designed by Indian Institute of Technology, is the only floating dock of Navy and has a lifting capacity of 11,500 tonnes.
The Navy has already floated expression of interest for FDN-2 and plans for procurement are in an advanced stage, a Navy official said.
"We are actually looking worldwide," he said.
Unlike FDN-1, Japan is not said to be one of the contenders for the proposed FDN-2 contract for some reasons. At this stage, it appears to be Russians and Germans who are among the front-runners to bag the deal, sources said.
FDN-2 will, however, be smaller. It will have a lifting capacity of around 8,000 tonnes, officials said.
While FDN-1 was procured at a cost of around Rs250 crore to Rs300 crore, the acquisition price for the second one is expected to be in the same bracket, sources said.
"FDN-1 can dock all ships except aircraft carrier and oil tankers of Indian Navy," the official said.
FDN-1 was integrated in 2001 with the Naval Ship Repair Yard (Port Blair), the only repair yard at Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
NSRY (PB), which undertakes refit tasks along with operational shipload, meanwhile, has plans to commission a technical services complex, and make provisions for wet basin and refit jetty, boat repair shop and an electrical shop, as part of its new initiatives.
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