The ''Seaward''-class defence boats are large patrol craft designed by
Mazagon Dock Limited
Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) (IAST: ''Majhagānv Dawk Limiṭeḍ''), formerly called Mazagon Dock Limited, is a shipyard situated in Mazagaon, Mumbai. It manufactures warships and submarines for the Indian Navy and offshore platform ...
(MDL) and built by
Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers
Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd, abbreviated as GRSE, is one of India's leading shipyards, located in Kolkata. It builds and repairs commercial and naval vessels. GRSE also builds export ships.
Founded in 1884 as a small privately ...
(GRSE) for the
Indian Navy
The Indian Navy is the maritime branch of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Navy. The Chief of Naval Staff, a four-star admiral, commands the navy. As a blue-water navy, it operates sig ...
. All of these vessels have been decommissioned, due to the large maintenance overhead they require.
Midlife refits
The ships of this class were built with low strength mild steel and thin plates, and consequently had low corrosion tolerance. As such adhering to prescribed docking intervals was essential.
INS ''Seaward'' (T54) was commissioned in September 1982. Its medium refit was due in March 1988 and its long refit in April 1992. Ignoring the vulnerability to corrosion of this ship, the medium refit was delayed by over three years and was carried out from July 1991 to April 1992. As a result, the long refit could not be planned. However, another short refit including the replacement of the engines was taken up in December 1993. The short refit was converted into a medium refit in February 1994. While carrying out repairs, extensive damage to the hull below the waterline was noticed in March 1994. The medium refit was extended to May 1996 because the engines and other materials procured for this ship were used for carrying out ongoing repairs on another, similar, ship (SDBT-55).
Ships
References
External links
Seaward Defence Boats - Bharat Rakshak
{{Ship classes of the Indian Navy
Patrol vessels of the Indian Navy