Defence Minister to launch first Fleet Support Ship FSS-1 and lay keel of FSS-5 at Hindustan Shipyard, Visakhapatnam
5 October 2026
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will launch the first Fleet Support Ship, FSS-1, at Hindustan Shipyard Limited, Visakhapatnam, on 6 October.
He will also lay the keel for FSS-5.
FSS-1 is a 43,500-tonne ship and will be launched 18 months after steel cutting.
Five fleet support ships are planned for the Indian Navy.
The minister will also inaugurate Upgraded Slipway-4, for ships of up to 45,000 deadweight tonnes, and a 300-tonne Goliath crane.
FSS-1 size:
43,500 tonnes
Fleet support ships planned:
Five
Upgraded Slipway-4:
Up to 45,000 DWT
Goliath crane:
300 tonnes
Why it matters for exams: Indigenous shipbuilding and Navy capability additions appear regularly in defence current affairs.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
DWT Deadweight tonnage — The weight a ship can carry, including cargo, fuel and stores.
Keel Keel laying — The ceremonial start of a ship's construction by laying its main structural beam.