Indian Navy Expands Its Logistics Fleet With ACTCM Barge For Warship Replenishment

The Indian Navy on Tuesday (22 April) inducted the tenth Ammunition-Cum-Torpedo-Cum-Missile (ACTCM) Barge, designated LSAM 24 (Yard 134), at a ceremony held at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai.

The event was attended by Commodore A K K Reddy, Assistant General Manager (Production and Repairs), Naval Dockyard, Mumbai, who served as the Chief Guest.

The ACTCM barges are designed to support the Navy’s operational requirements by facilitating the transportation, embarkation, and disembarkation of critical supplies such as ammunition, torpedoes, and missiles to naval platforms.

These operations can be conducted both alongside jetties and in outer harbours, thereby enhancing the Navy’s logistics flexibility and rapid response capabilities.

The contract for the construction and delivery of 11 ACTCM Barges was awarded on 5 March 2021 to Suryadipta Projects Pvt Ltd, an MSME shipyard based in Thane.

The barges have been indigenously designed by the shipyard in collaboration with an Indian ship design firm and were model-tested at the Naval Science and Technological Laboratory (NSTL), Visakhapatnam, to validate their seaworthiness.

Built in accordance with the Indian Register of Shipping's (IRS) Naval Rules and Regulations, these barges exemplify India’s strides towards defence self-reliance.

With nine barges already delivered under the contract, the latest induction reflects the Navy’s ongoing focus on strengthening its logistical backbone.

The shipyard has also been awarded a contract for construction and delivery of four Sullage Barges to the Indian Navy thereby highlighting the Indian Navy’s commitment towards encouraging MSMEs, the Defence Ministry said in a statement.

"Induction of these Barges would provide impetus to operational commitments of Indian Navy by facilitating Transportation, Embarkation and Disembarkation of articles/ ammunition to Indian Navy platforms both alongside jetties and at outer harbours," the ministry said.

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