Diving Support Vessel (DSV)-Nipun
Why in News?
The state-owned Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) officially delivered ’Nipun’, the second indigenous Diving Support Vessel (DSV), to the Indian Navy on 30 July 2026 at Visakhapatnam. This follows the delivery of the class’s lead ship, INS Nistar.
Key Specifications & Design
- Dimensions: The vessel measures 118.4 metres in length and 22.8 metres at its broadest point.
- Displacement: It features a displacement of over 8,560 tonnes (with maximum structural displacement reaching up to 9,350 tonnes).
- Indigenous Content: Built under the Make in India vision, the vessel boasts 75% to 80% indigenous component content, involving nearly 120 local small and medium enterprises.
- Classification: Designed and certified entirely in accordance with the rules of the Indian Register of Shipping (IRS).
- Nomenclature: The name "Nipun" is derived from Sanskrit, meaning "one who is adept, capable, and well-versed" in a specific field.
Operational Capabilities
- Deep-Sea Saturation Diving: Equipped with advanced diving systems allowing divers to execute operations at extreme depths for prolonged durations.
- Submarine Rescue Mothership: Functions as the dedicated "Mother Ship" for the Indian Navy's Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle (DSRV) to rapidly evacuate personnel during a submarine emergency.
- Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs): Outfitted with state-of-the-art ROVs to carry out deep-sea salvage missions, underwater inspections, and real-time diver monitoring.
- Station-Keeping: Features a high-tech Dynamic Positioning System to lock the ship’s position accurately over an underwater site despite rough sea currents.
- Multi-role Utility: Beyond rescue and salvage, it is fully capable of conducting sustained offshore patrolling, search and rescue (SAR) missions, and airborne helicopter operations via its forward deck.
