Fincantieri Launches INS Shakti in Italian Shipyard; INS Deepak Undergoing Pre-delivery Trials

Amid chanting of Vedic hymns and breaking of a coconut, INS Shakti, the second Fleet Tanker of Indian Navy, was today launched at an Italian shipyard in Genoa. The tanker is being built by Italian ship builder Fincantieri under a contract signed in April 2008, valued at Euro 300 million. The contract includes two vessels.

INS Deepak, the first of the two Fleet Tankers to be designed and built in Italy, is at an advanced stage of trials preceding delivery to the Indian Navy. It is scheduled for delivery to India at the end of this year. Shakti is being built at the Sestri Ponente shipyard, using many modern and state-of-the-art ship building methods and concepts, with advanced outfitting. It is expected to be delivered within two years.

The trials of INS Shakti will start in December this year. Its delivery and commissioning in India is expected to take place in the middle of next year. The Fleet Tankers would be the first warships in Indian waters made by Fincantieri, the premiere shipbuilding company in Europe.

The ships are in double hull configuration, which provides greater safety against accidental oil spillages, in accordance with latest MARPOL regulations. Homai Saha, wife of Ambassador Debabrata Saha, who was the Chief Guest on the occasion, broke the coconut while launching the tanker. She also broke a bottle of champagne at the ship''s bow in keeping with the Italian tradition.

Fincantieri press release:

Monday, October 11, 2010
"SHAKTI" FOR INDIAN NAVY LAUNCHED AT SESTRI PONENTE (GENOVA)

Today at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Sestri Ponente (Genova) there was the launching of the second of two fleet tankers ordered by the Indian Navy, with delivery scheduled by the end of the next year. Present at the ceremony were Debabrata Saha, ambassador for the Republic of India in Italy and Alberto Maestrini, head of Fincantieri Naval Vessels Business Unit. First announced at Euronaval in 2008, the order is the first surface vessel India has ever made to a European company and followed a selection procedure with strong international competitors, especially from Russia and Korea.

At 175 metres long, 25 wide and 19 high, the fleet tanker is a supply and logistic support vessel with a displacement at full load of 27,500 tonnes and a propulsion system of two 10,000 kW diesel engines enabling her to reach a maximum speed of 20 knots. Notable features of the vessel are its propulsion system incorporating a shaft with adjustable pitch propellers and a flight deck for medium weight helicopters (up to 10 tons).

Maximum passenger capacity is 250 including crew and additional forces.

Equipped with double hatches the tanker can refuel four vessels at the same time.

In accordance with the new Marpol regulations of the International Maritime Organization regarding protection of the environment, the ship has been built with a double hull. This will afford greater protection to the fuel tanks, thereby avoiding the risk of pollution in case of collision or damage.

Cooperation with India started in 2004 when Fincantieri drew up two contracts with Cochin shipyard for the design of an engine (one of the most powerful non-nuclear propulsion systems in the world), technology transfer and provision of complementary services for the construction of the Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC). Furthermore, in 2007 the company delivered the "Sagar Nidhi", an oceanographic vessel for the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) of Madras, which is already operating off the Indian coast to the great satisfaction of the customer.

Fincantieri considers the East market and the development of cooperation with the high prestige Indian partner to be strategic, as witnessed by two events - the opening in recent years of a representative office in New Delhi and the company's participation every year at the leading naval fair, "Defexpo".(India Defense)