(PTI)
Engineering major Larsen & Toubro (L&T) today said it has launched the second offshore patrol vessel (OPV) for the Navy at its greenfield defence shipyard in Kattupalli near Chennai. An OPV is a long-range surface ship with helicopter operation capabilities. Its role includes coastal and offshore patrolling, policing maritime zones of India, control and surveillance, among others.
JD Patil, Senior Executive Vice-President and whole- time Director (Defence), L&T said OPV-2 is the ninth defence vessel launched by L&T in the current financial year, as per a company statement. L&T, the first private Indian shipyard to construct and deliver OPVs for the Indian Coast Guard, received a Rs 1,432- crore order for design and construction of seven OPVs from the Ministry of Defence in March 2015.
“With in-house capabilities to undertake ship design, in-house manufacturing of critical marine equipment, world- class shipyard infrastructure and robust financial strength, L&T is uniquely placed to fulfil the ambitious fleet expansion plans of the Indian Navy and Coast Guard,” Patil said.
