New Delhi, 28 Feb (IANS): The Indian Navy received an Ammunition Cum Torpedo Cum Missile Barge, LSAM 18, on Wednesday.

The availability of these barges would provide impetus to operational commitments of the Indian Navy by facilitating transportation, embarkation and disembarkation of ammunition to the ships both alongside jetties and at outer harbours.

The Ministry of Defence said on Wednesday that these barges are indigenously designed and built under the relevant naval rules and regulation of the Indian Register of Shipping. The model testing of the barge during the design stage was undertaken at the Naval Science and Technological Laboratory, Visakhapatnam.

The barge has been built by the MSME Shipyard, Suryadipta Projects Pvt Ltd, Thane, for the Indian Navy. The launching ceremony was presided over by Cmde Shirish Dube, Directorate of Ship Production.

The contract for building 11 ACTCM barges was signed between the MoD and Suryadipta Projects Pvt Ltd on March 5, 2021.

These barges are proud flag-bearers of the Make in India initiative of the Government of India.