Hindustan Shipyard 85 Years: Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) recently completed 85 years and celebrated its Sapphire Foundation Day in a grand and meaningful way. One of the most important events during the celebrations was the steel-cutting ceremony for the Indian Navy’s fourth Fleet Support Ship.
This ceremony happened on June 19 and was led by Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, the Chief of the Naval Staff. He spoke about how this ship will be very important for the Navy. He said it will help the Navy stay out at sea for longer periods and remain ready to handle any challenge that may come in the future.
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Admiral Tripathi explained that this ship is part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s SAGAR mission, which stands for Security and Growth for All in the Region. He said that India is focusing more on building ships at home to become stronger in maritime security. HSL is helping in this mission by building ships like the Fleet Support Ship in India itself, using local resources and skills.
Shipyard’s Progress and New Upgrades
The celebrations lasted from June 12 to June 21 and included many activities. Employees took part in yoga sessions and paid tribute to the shipyard’s founder, Seth Walchand Hirachand. There was also a meeting with MSMEs to promote better and faster business practices. HSL used this occasion to show its new and improved facilities.
These included a new valve-testing bay, separate bays for painting and blasting, a digital kiosk for information, and newly done-up dining rooms and residential areas. The shipyard also added a Motivation Hall, halls for training and community events, and a new power room. HSL also released twelve important documents to help improve how things are done at the shipyard.
Commodore Hemant Khatri, who is the Chairman and Managing Director of HSL, spoke about how far the shipyard has come. He remembered how HSL was in deep financial trouble a few years ago. Back in 2014-15, the shipyard’s financial position was very bad, and the net worth had dropped to minus ₹1,023 crore, reported TN. Things became even worse during the COVID-19 pandemic. But he said that HSL didn’t give up. It made a big comeback not just in money terms but also in the kind of ships it builds.
He shared that they moved from making basic tugboats to very advanced naval ships like INS Dhruv and INS Nistar. He said, “Our turnaround goes beyond financial milestones like achieving Mini Ratna status. It reflects our professional shift from building simple tugboats to delivering sophisticated strategic platforms such as INS Dhruv and INS Nistar. This transformation is driven by professional competence, courage, and collective conviction.”
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Future Goals
The fourth Fleet Support Ship will be built using HSL’s upgraded shipbuilding area. This includes a 300-tonne Goliath crane that makes it easier to handle big ship parts. With this new strength, HSL is now ready to take on even larger projects in the future like Landing Platform Docks and big commercial ships.
