Kochi, Sep 9 (IANS): The Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) on Monday launched two anti-submarine warfare shallow watercraft which were under construction at the Kochi Yard facility.

After the ceremonial puja, the ships were launched by Vijaya Srinivas, the wife of Vice Admiral V. Srinivas, the Flag Officer Commanding in Chief of the Southern Naval Command, who was the chief guest at the event.

Top officials from the CSL, senior officers of Indian Navy, and Classification Society representatives were present on the occasion.

The vessels are 78.0 mt long, and 11.36 mt wide with a draught of about 2.7 mt.

The displacement is about 900 tonnes, with a maximum speed of 25 knots and endurance of 1,800 nautical miles. The ships are designed to fit indigenously developed, state-of-the-art SONARS for underwater surveillance.

Concurrent launching of the two ships is yet another milestone achievement for the CSL.

Incidentally, the contract for building eight ASW SWC ships was signed between the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and the Cochin Shipyard Ltd on April 30, 2019.

The Mahe Class of Ships will replace the in-service Abhay class ASW Corvettes of the Indian Navy and are designed to undertake anti-submarine operations in coastal waters, Low Intensity Maritime Operations (LIMO), and Mine Laying Operations including subsurface surveillance.

The fourth and fifth ships of the series with CSL Yard nos BY 526 and BY 527 shall bear the name ‘INS MALPE' and 'INS MULKI’ upon commissioning into the Indian Navy.

The ships are in the series of eight Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Watercraft under construction in the Cochin Shipyard for the Indian Navy.