VASCO: Goa Shipyard Ltd (GSL) is not only at the forefront of building ships for defence establishments in India but it is a prime exporter of ships from the country, the Governor Mridula Sinha said on Thursday.
Sinha launched the fifth of the series of six 105-metre new generation offshore patrol vessels (OPVs), designed in-house and being built by GSL for the Indian Coast Guard. The function was attended by Vasco MLA Carlos Almeida, inspector general of Indian Coast Guard S K Goyal, chairman and managing director of GSL Rear Admiral (Retd) Shekhar Mital and others.
Sinha praised the chairman and managing director of GSL, its management and workers for their contribution in production of various types of ships ahead of schedule. She said, “I am delighted to know that GSL has delivered two vessels ‘Samarth’ and ‘Shoor’ of this new class OPV recently before the schedule, which are contributing significantly towards protecting our EEZ and coastlines more effectively and efficiently.”
Sinha said, “Due to the unity among the workers and the management, the GSL has succeeded in accepting any challenge in the shipbuilding industry,” added Sinha.
She also appreciated the works started by GSL under its corporate social responsibility initiative. She however maintained that Goa will be the first state in the country to achieve the target of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan this year itself.
Pointing out that GSL has been successful in significantly reducing the built period for OPVs to three years due to ingenuous innovations, hard work and team spirit of its employees, the chairman and managing director Mital said that there is no parallel to such rapid construction in Indian shipbuilding industry. He gave the credit of good performance to the employees and assured that all ships will be delivered by GSL on time.
Inspector general of Indian Coast Guard Goyal said, “The launching of the fifth vessel will be another major milestone towards our goal of having adequate number of such ships in our inventory”.
Keeping in mind GSL’s track record of timely deliveries, Goyal said that that the Indian Coast Guard is confident that it will get the remaining ship soon adding, “The OPVs will help the Coast Guard strengthen the coastal security across India.”