Wärtsilä to design a research vessel for the Geological Survey of India
Wärtsilä has signed a contract to design and supervise the construction of a modern oceanographic research vessel for the marine wing of the Geological Survey of India (GSI).
In addition to design and supervising the construction process, Wärtsilä will be involved in selecting the onboard scientific instruments, and in arranging training for GSI scientists to ensure that the vessel's capabilities are fully utilized.
The new vessel is the third of its kind that Wärtsilä is designing for India. The first one, Sagar Nidhi, is already in service and being operated by the National Institute of Ocean Technology. She is expected to support research work in the Indian Ocean and the Antarctic. Sindhu Sadhana, the second vessel, is under construction.
The new vessel will have accommodation for 69 people. With an overall length of 95 metres, breadth of 19 metres, maximum draught of 6 metres and speed of 14 knots, it will have an endurance of 45 days. Completion of the project is scheduled for the first quarter of 2012.
Wärtsilä entered the Indian ship design market in 2002. The first contract signed was for a research vessel for the National Institute of Ocean Technology in Chennai. It was launched in 2007. Wärtsilä's second ship design contract was with the National Institute of Oceanography in Goa. This vessel is currently under construction.
In addition to these, Wärtsilä in India has a ship design contract for a diving support vessel - another special design. Contracts of a more standard type include MPSV, AHTS and OSV vessels, all of which are being built in India for different customers.
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