Panaji, Aug 30 (IANS) The Goa Shipyard Limited’s (GSL) coffers could be ringing soon as the defence ministry-certified shipyard is seeking to exploit the increasing demand for armed, fast moving patrol vessels sought by countries affected by the scourge of piracy, according to a top official Monday.
‘There is an increasing demand for lightly armed vessels because of the security scenario caused by pirates and sea bandits in the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Africa. The need for fast patrol vessels is more than of heavily armed naval vessels,’ chairman of GSL Vineet Bakshi told reporters in Panaji Monday, adding that manufacture of such vessels was right up GSL’s street.
Bakshi further said: ‘Currently we are negotiating with four countries, whose names I am not at liberty do disclose now.’
The former rear admiral, however, added that GSL was making serious efforts to secure an export order from Oman.
‘The demand in the Middle East is for armed, fast patrol vessels which is our expertise. There is no reason why 25 percent of the production cannot be dedicated towards this market,’ Bakshi said.
‘The company has an excellent portfolio of vessels designed in-house, as well as those built in collaboration, which ranges from 9 metres to 105 metres,’ he said, adding that GSL had a capability of rolling out one vessel a week.
‘We have also delivered 61 interceptor boats to various coastal state marine police out of the 116 vessels which were ordered by the union ministry of home affairs,’ Bakshi said.
The GSL is a Goa-based public sector undertaking and has achieved a value of production of Rs.866 crore in 2009-10 with a net profit of Rs.82 crore, which a company press statement claims is the highest in a financial year since GSL’s inception in 1957.
