Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Ltd has laid the keel for a state-of-the-art Acoustic Research Ship (ARS) being constructed for the Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory (NPOL), a unit under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
According to GRSE, the advanced research vessel will serve as a key platform for acoustic and oceanographic studies, equipped to deploy, tow, and recover a wide range of scientific instruments, including acoustic modules. It will support high-resolution temporal and spatial surveys of sound velocity profiles, collect ocean tide and current data for optimising survey operations, and aid in the design of underwater moorings and offshore deployments.
The ARS will also perform meteorological surveys to study atmospheric influences on underwater sound propagation and conduct shallow-water acoustic reverberation research. Its wide operational speed range — between 4 and 12 knots — will enable the vessel to perform acoustic trials under different conditions while maintaining ultra-quiet operation.
The 93-metre-long and 18-metre-wide ship will be powered by a diesel-electric propulsion system and equipped with a dynamic positioning system capable of holding position up to Sea State 4. It will carry a complement of 120 personnel, feature three deck cranes for handling scientific equipment, and offer an endurance of 30 days or 4,500 nautical miles at top speed.
The contract for the ARS was signed between GRSE and NPOL in October 2024, marking another milestone in GRSE’s long-standing partnership with the Indian Navy and DRDO. The shipyard has extensive experience in building complex research and survey vessels, including the Sandhayak-class Survey Ships of the 1980s and 1990s. In 1994, it delivered INS Sagardhwani, India’s first marine acoustic research ship, which remains in active service and recently returned to GRSE for a major refit and upgrade.
In recent years, GRSE has strengthened its leadership in research vessel construction, delivering INS Sandhayak, INS Nirdeshak, and INS Ikshak — part of the latest series of large survey vessels for the Indian Navy. In July 2024, it also signed a contract with the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR) for an advanced Ocean Research Vessel, and is currently building two Coastal Research Vessels for the Geological Survey of India (GSI).
The keel-laying ceremony was graced by Dr. Sameer V. Kamat, Secretary, Department of Defence (R&D) and Chairman, DRDO, who served as Chief Guest. Also present were Commodore (Retd.) P. R. Hari, Chairman and Managing Director of GRSE, along with senior officials from DRDO, NPOL, and the shipyard.
