INS Vikrant likely to be berthed at Kattupalli port in Chennai

Chennai: INS Vikrant, the prestigious aircraft carrier of the Indian Navy, dedicated to the nation by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 2 at Kochi, is likely to be berthed at Kattupalli port, Chennai.

INS Vikrant is part of the Eastern Naval Command and its base is Vishakapatanam but due to the lack of berth facilities there discussions have been on with the L&T Shipyard for the past few years to berth the prestigious warship there. INS Vikrant is 262 metres long and 62 metres wide and is as big as two football fields.

Officials, who do not want to be named, told IANS that the Indian Navy had informed the defence committee about Kattupalli port of the L&T being shortlisted to berth the giant aircraft carrier, which is indigenously made at the Cochin Shipyard.

INS Vikrant is the second aircraft carrier of the country after INS Vikramaditya which is based in the western front.

Naval experts told IANS that Kattupalli port has the depth and its jetty has the length to berth INS Vikrant and the naval warship is likely to continue in this port for the next few years. Additional infrastructure is being created at Kattupalli to host the warship.

Kattuppalli port created history recently by carrying out repairs to the United States Navy Ship (USNS). The US Navy had awarded the contract for maintenance of the ship Charles Dew at the shipyard.