HSL Delivers First Indigenous Diving Support Vessel, Nistar to the Indian Navy

Nistar, the first indigenously designed and constructed Diving Support Vessel, was delivered by Hindustan Shipyard Limited to the Indian Navy on July 8 at Visakhapatnam. The warship has been designed and built as per classification rules of the Indian Register of Shipping (IRS). The ship is highly specialised and can undertake deep sea diving and rescue operations—a capability with select navies across the globe.

The ship’s name, Nistar, originates from Sanskrit and means liberation, rescue or salvation. The ship, measuring 118m with the weight of nearly 10,000 tons, is installed with state-of-the-art diving equipment and has the capability to undertake Deep Sea Saturation Diving up to 300m depth. The ship also has a side diving stage for undertaking diving operations up to 75m depth.

The ship will also serve as the ‘Mother Ship’ for the Deep Submergence Rescue Vessel (DSRV), to rescue and evacuate personnel, in case of an emergency in a submarine underwater. The ship is equipped with a combination of remotely operated vehicles to undertake diver monitoring and salvage operations up to a depth of 1,000m.

The delivery of Nistar, with nearly 75 per cent indigenous content, is yet another milestone in the Indian Navy’s quest for indigenous construction.