New Delhi, Oct 20 (IANS): The Indian Navy has received the second Missile Cum Ammunition (MCA) Barge of the series LSAM 8 (Yard 76), the Ministry of Defence said on Thursday.

Contract for construction and delivery of 8 x MCA Barge was concluded with SECON Engineering Projects Pvt Ltd, Visakhapatnam, an MSME, in consonance with the “Aatmanirbhar Bharat” initiative, the ministry said in a statement.

According to the ministry, the barge has been built under the classification rules of the Indian Register of Shipping (IRS) with a service life of 30 years.

The ministry said that with all major and auxiliary equipment sourced from indigenous manufacturers, the barge is a proud flag bearer of the “Make in India” initiatives of the ministry.

Induction of MCA Barge will provide impetus to operational commitments of the Indian Navy by facilitating transportation, embarkation and disembarkation of articles and ammunition to Indian Naval Ships both alongside jetties and at outer harbours, the ministry said.