Larsen & Toubro (L&T) has received an order from Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) for part construction of two Fleet Support Ships (FSS) for the Indian Navy, the Indian conglomerate announced on July 9. The Indian Navy had signed a ₹19,000 crore contract with HSL for the design and construction of five FSS in August 2023.

“L&T will construct the two Fleet Support Ships at its greenfield shipyard at Kattupalli, near Chennai on the east coast of India. It is India’s most modern shipyard, designed in-house and built to globally benchmarked technological practices,” the company said in a statement. The contract was awarded to the precision engineering systems business vertical of L&T.

The FSS will be employed for replenishing ships at sea with fuel, water, ammunition, and stores, enabling the Indian Naval Fleet to operate for prolonged periods without returning to harbour. At more than 220 meter in length and with a displacement of approximately 44,000 tonnes, the FSS would be among the largest vessels in the Naval Fleet.

A decade after receiving its first defence shipbuilding order in March 2010, L&T has designed, built, and delivered more than 70 defence vessels exemplifying its ‘Make in India’ capabilities. It delivered most of these vessels either ahead of schedule or on schedule, the statement added.