Rajnath Singh Inaugurates Goliath Crane, Slipway-4 At Miniratna DPSU HSL To Build Larger, More Complex Ships
A crane that can lift 300 tonnes now stands across two slipways at Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) in Visakhapatnam.
A crane that can lift 300 tonnes now stands across two slipways at Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) in Visakhapatnam. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated it on Tuesday, together with the upgraded Slipway-4.
The Goliath Crane was designed and manufactured by L&T Geostructure with Konecranes under the Make in India initiative. The shipyard says it allows heavier blocks to be handled faster and with more precision.
"With the upgraded Slipway and 300-tonne Goliath Crane, HSL is ready to build larger, more complex ships," Singh told the gathering at the shipyard.
What the crane brings
The crane spans Slipways 3 and 4. That puts a single machine over two of the shipyard's slipways. It comes with PLC controls and Variable Frequency Drives. It is also equipped for tandem lifting, remote diagnostics and condition monitoring.
The shipyard links these features to one result. In its words, they enable "faster and more precise handling of heavier blocks for modern block construction". In block construction, a ship is put together from large sections known as blocks.
A slipway built for bigger ships
The crane complements the upgraded Slipway-4, which Singh inaugurated on the same morning. The slipway now has extended length and enhanced load-bearing capability. It can build and launch ships of up to 45,000 deadweight tonnes (DWT).
In a press note issued before the visit, the shipyard described the slipway as "supported by" the new crane. It grouped the two under the heading "Building Bigger".
Made in India, with partners
HSL has stressed where the crane came from. It was built under Make in India by L&T Geostructure with Konecranes. The shipyard places the same emphasis on its ships. Similarly, the Fleet Support Ships HSL is building for the Navy are designed and built indigenously.
INS Nistar, commissioned in July 2025, is India's first indigenously designed and built Diving Support Vessel. The vessel has over 80 per cent indigenous content, according to the shipyard.
Singh tied the day to self-reliance. "The launch of FSS-1 and keel laying of FSS-5 show Aatmanirbharta taking shape in steel, extending our Navy's reach across the Indian Ocean," he said.
Rear Admiral C Raghuram (Retd.), Chairman and Managing Director of HSL, credited the companies the shipyard works with. "Today's milestones reflect the dedication of our employees, the trust of the Indian Navy and the support of our business partners," he said.
The ships HSL is building
The new infrastructure opens while HSL is building five Fleet Support Ships for the Navy. They are large and complex vessels, each weighing 43,500 tonnes. The ships will replenish warships at sea. This will extend the Navy's endurance and reach across the Indian Ocean Region.
On Tuesday, Singh launched the first, FSS-1, 18 months after its steel was first cut. He also laid the keel of the fifth, FSS-5. HSL says the two events mark its "steady march towards series production" of the class.
Raghuram linked the infrastructure and the programme. "With enhanced infrastructure and our flagship Fleet Support Ship programme in full stride, HSL stands ready to deliver next-generation ships for the nation and for the world," he said.
A shipyard scaling up
The inauguration follows what HSL calls its best-ever year. In 2025-26, it reported its highest-ever value of production, ₹1,969 crore, up 34 per cent. Total income rose 29 per cent to ₹2,295 crore.
Raghuram said HSL was "scaling up to meet the nation's needs". The shipyard says Tuesday's milestones mark a significant step in its transformation into "a modern, future-ready, full-spectrum shipbuilder". Singh described HSL as a pillar of India's maritime strength.
Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, Chief of the Naval Staff, and Sanjeev Kumar, Secretary (Defence Production), attended Tuesday's events. Sribharat Mathukumilli, Member of Parliament for Visakhapatnam, was also present.
Established in 1941, HSL is a Miniratna Category-I Defence Public Sector Undertaking under the Ministry of Defence. It launched Jala Usha, the first ship built by independent India, in 1948.
A crane that can lift 300 tonnes now stands across two slipways at Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) in Visakhapatnam. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated it on Tuesday, together with the upgraded Slipway-4.
The Goliath Crane was designed and manufactured by L&T Geostructure with Konecranes under the Make in India initiative. The shipyard says it allows heavier blocks to be handled faster and with more precision.
"With the upgraded Slipway and 300-tonne Goliath Crane, HSL is ready to build larger, more complex ships," Singh told the gathering at the shipyard.
What the crane brings
The crane spans Slipways 3 and 4. That puts a single machine over two of the shipyard's slipways. It comes with PLC controls and Variable Frequency Drives. It is also equipped for tandem lifting, remote diagnostics and condition monitoring.
The shipyard links these features to one result. In its words, they enable "faster and more precise handling of heavier blocks for modern block construction". In block construction, a ship is put together from large sections known as blocks.
A slipway built for bigger ships
The crane complements the upgraded Slipway-4, which Singh inaugurated on the same morning. The slipway now has extended length and enhanced load-bearing capability. It can build and launch ships of up to 45,000 deadweight tonnes (DWT).
In a press note issued before the visit, the shipyard described the slipway as "supported by" the new crane. It grouped the two under the heading "Building Bigger".
Made in India, with partners
HSL has stressed where the crane came from. It was built under Make in India by L&T Geostructure with Konecranes. The shipyard places the same emphasis on its ships. Similarly, the Fleet Support Ships HSL is building for the Navy are designed and built indigenously.
INS Nistar, commissioned in July 2025, is India's first indigenously designed and built Diving Support Vessel. The vessel has over 80 per cent indigenous content, according to the shipyard.
Singh tied the day to self-reliance. "The launch of FSS-1 and keel laying of FSS-5 show Aatmanirbharta taking shape in steel, extending our Navy's reach across the Indian Ocean," he said.
Rear Admiral C Raghuram (Retd.), Chairman and Managing Director of HSL, credited the companies the shipyard works with. "Today's milestones reflect the dedication of our employees, the trust of the Indian Navy and the support of our business partners," he said.
The ships HSL is building
The new infrastructure opens while HSL is building five Fleet Support Ships for the Navy. They are large and complex vessels, each weighing 43,500 tonnes. The ships will replenish warships at sea. This will extend the Navy's endurance and reach across the Indian Ocean Region.
On Tuesday, Singh launched the first, FSS-1, 18 months after its steel was first cut. He also laid the keel of the fifth, FSS-5. HSL says the two events mark its "steady march towards series production" of the class.
Raghuram linked the infrastructure and the programme. "With enhanced infrastructure and our flagship Fleet Support Ship programme in full stride, HSL stands ready to deliver next-generation ships for the nation and for the world," he said.
A shipyard scaling up
The inauguration follows what HSL calls its best-ever year. In 2025-26, it reported its highest-ever value of production, ₹1,969 crore, up 34 per cent. Total income rose 29 per cent to ₹2,295 crore.
Raghuram said HSL was "scaling up to meet the nation's needs". The shipyard says Tuesday's milestones mark a significant step in its transformation into "a modern, future-ready, full-spectrum shipbuilder". Singh described HSL as a pillar of India's maritime strength.
Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, Chief of the Naval Staff, and Sanjeev Kumar, Secretary (Defence Production), attended Tuesday's events. Sribharat Mathukumilli, Member of Parliament for Visakhapatnam, was also present.
Established in 1941, HSL is a Miniratna Category-I Defence Public Sector Undertaking under the Ministry of Defence. It launched Jala Usha, the first ship built by independent India, in 1948.
