Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Ltd. (GRSE) has signed a contract with the Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory (NPOL), under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), to design, develop, and construct an Acoustic Research Ship (ARS). The project, valued at ₹490.98 crore, will be completed within 36 months.
The Acoustic Research Ship will be a specialized vessel, 90 meters long and 14 meters wide, with a top speed of 12 knots and an endurance of 30 days or 4,500 nautical miles per mission. The ship will support 70 personnel and carry advanced equipment for underwater and meteorological research, including high-resolution sound velocity profiling and data collection on ocean tides and currents. The ARS will also be capable of launching and retrieving acoustic modules and buoys and conducting acoustic systems trials while maintaining operational silence.
Equipped with a dynamic positioning system, the vessel will hold its position even in rough seas up to Sea State 4. The diesel-electric powered ship will include three deck cranes to manage onboard research equipment.
GRSE, with its extensive experience in constructing research and survey vessels, has recently delivered two large survey vessels to the Indian Navy and signed a contract with the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research for an advanced Ocean Research Vessel. GRSE is currently building 17 warships for the Indian Navy, as well as other specialized vessels for domestic and international clients.
