INS Sandhayak, the first of the four ships of Survey Vessel Large (SVL) project, was commissioned into the Indian Navy at the Naval Dockyard, Visakhapatnam on February 3. Designed by the Warship Design Bureau of the Navy, the SVL class is built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), under a contract signed in October 2018.

The primary role of the ship is to carry out hydrographic surveys of ports, harbors, navigational channels/routes, coastal areas and deep seas, towards enabling safe marine navigation. The vessels have a hangar which can accommodate one advanced light helicopter.

INS Sandhayak is equipped with hydrographic equipment including multi-beam echo-sounders, Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV), Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV), side scan sonars, data acquisition and processing system, satellite-based positioning systems and terrestrial survey equipment.

This includes Kongsberg Discovery HUGIN AUV, including sensor payload, topside launch and recovery, and a command and control solution. The AUV is depth rated to 1000m. The purchase also includes HiPAP 502 high-accuracy acoustic positioning and communication systems to support AUV operations on all four SVL ships.

“We are honored to have successfully demonstrated the capability of the system to the Indian Navy and to have them as a returning customer for the HUGIN AUV system. Their new HUGIN AUV systems are configured for their needs today and tomorrow with a multi-role capability”

Stene Førsund, EVP Sales at Kongsberg Discovery

The keel of Sandhayak was laid on March 12, 2019 and the ship was launched on December 5, 2021. The ship has undergone comprehensive trials in harbor and at sea, leading up to its delivery to the Indian Navy on December 4, 2023. The ship has a displacement of 3,400 tons and an overall length of 110 meters with a beam of 16m. The ship is propelled by two diesel engines and is capable of achieving speeds in excess of 18 knots. It has an indigenous content of over 80% by cost and has a complement of 231. The remaining three ships are expected to be delivered at six month intervals.