Titagarh Rail Systems Limited (TRSL), a leading provider of rolling stock and engineering solutions, announced that it has officially handed over the first Diving Support Craft (DSC A20) to the Indian Navy. This vessel is the first among a series of five DSCs being built under a Make-in-India initiative.
The handover ceremony was held in Kolkata, attended by Commodore Aravind Chari, CSO (Tech), Southern Naval Command, as the chief guest.
Technical Specifications & Operational Role
- The vessel is constructed with a catamaran-type hull and is intended to support the Indian Navy’s Command Clearance Diving Teams in underwater tasks such as ship repair, maintenance, and salvage operations in harbor and coastal zones. It also serves as a training platform for diving personnel.
- Dimensions: Length — 32.9 metres; Breadth — 13 metres
- Endurance: Approximately 72 hours at economical speed, with 25% fuel reserve
- Propulsion: Two engines of 1,342 kW each; cruising speed approx. 11 knots
- Crew capacity: Can carry a complement of 18 personnel
Contract & Financials
- The contract for the construction of five DSCs was signed between the Ministry of Defence and TRSL on 12 February 2021.
- The overall order for this fleet (five vessels) is valued at ₹91.12 crore (including GST), as disclosed in previous exchange filings.
- Thus, the per-vessel average (on a straight division basis) would imply approximately ₹18.2 crore per craft (though actual costing may vary due to design, outfitting, and integration differences).
Strategic Significance & Corporate Messaging
Speaking at the event, Umesh Chowdhary, Vice-Chairman & Managing Director, TRSL, remarked:
“The handover of DSC A20 is an important milestone for Titagarh and a reflection of our growing role in India’s maritime sector. With greater emphasis on indigenous design and shipbuilding capacity, we are proud to contribute to the Navy’s operational readiness through vessels built entirely in India.”
The company further highlighted that DSC A20 is the first Indian Naval commissioned vessel built and delivered by a private shipyard in Bengal — underscoring Titagarh’s emergence in the maritime domain beyond its core rail business.
TRSL’s Shipbuilding & Maritime Systems Division has claimed an order book exceeding ₹575 crore (including taxes), partly driven by this DSC series and other maritime orders.
Concurrently, the Board has in principle approved transferring the shipbuilding and maritime systems business into a wholly owned subsidiary named Titagarh Naval Systems