HSL finalises deal with Vizag Dock

Visakhapatnam: HINDUSTAN Shipyard LImited (HSL) has finalised a rate contract with Naval Dockyard, Visakhapatnam to enable the two establishments under the Ministry of Defence to undertake partial refits of naval vessels.

The agreement will cover dry-docking. This will leverage the strength of co-location of both the organisations to reduce the down- time (when the vessel is unserviceable or under repair) of ships and increase their operational availability, an HSL spokesperson said. He said the innovative agreement was a landmark achievement for the first time.

HSL, which was taken over by the Ministry of Defence from the Ministry of Shipping over a decade ago, is located in a strategic location with the headquarters of Eastern Naval Command and Visakhapatnam Port Trust in its backyard. The dockyard is its neighbourhood.

The dockyard undertakes repairs of various vessels. Of late, HSLhas also specialised in the repairs and retrofitting of naval vessels.