The Directorate General of Lighthouses and Lightships (DGLL) is set to procure a new lighthouse tender vessel at an estimated cost of ₹432.46 crore from an Indian shipyard, replacing its ageing vessel MV Sagardeep II that has exceeded its operational life.

The new vessel will be built by a domestic shipyard selected through a competitive bidding process, according to a project document prepared by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, which oversees DGLL.

DGLL is responsible for maintaining India’s marine aids to navigation network, which includes 205 lighthouses, one lightship, 22 deep-sea channel marking buoys and several advanced navigation systems. These include differential global navigation satellite system (DGNSS) stations, radar beacons, automatic identification system (AIS) base stations, NAVTEX facilities and vessel traffic services.

These systems provide navigation support to merchant ships, fishing vessels, offshore support vessels and other maritime users, helping improve safety at sea, protect the marine environment and facilitate maritime trade.

The replacement of MV Sagardeep II is considered critical, particularly for maintaining navigation infrastructure in remote island territories such as the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep, where many lighthouse stations are located on isolated islands accessible only by specialised tender vessels.

Built in 2002 by Kolkata-based Hooghly Dock and Port Engineers, MV Sagardeep II was designed for deep-sea buoy operations and has played a key role in transporting technical personnel, equipment, construction materials, fuel, water and other essential supplies to remote locations.

However, the 24-year-old vessel has exceeded its prescribed operational lifespan, resulting in increasing repair requirements, higher maintenance costs and reduced availability. The Marine Aids to Navigation (Accounting and Financial Powers) Rules, 2022, prescribe a 20-year service life for lighthouse tender vessel hulls and engines.

The proposed replacement vessel will be a modern, purpose-built ship designed to meet DGLL’s future operational requirements. With an overall length of around 91 metres, the vessel will feature six buoy pockets and will be equipped for deep-sea buoy handling, maintenance of navigation aids, transportation of personnel and equipment, emergency response and logistics support for remote island lighthouses.

Compared with MV Sagardeep II, the new vessel will be around 1.1 times longer and 1.3 times wider, offering greater deck space, improved cargo capacity and enhanced accommodation facilities.

The vessel will have a deadweight carrying capacity of approximately 1,450 tonnes, allowing it to transport larger quantities of maintenance equipment, construction materials, fuel, freshwater and other supplies in a single voyage.

The new ship will incorporate advanced navigation, communication, automation and cargo-handling systems while complying with international standards on safety, environmental protection and energy efficiency.

The project will be executed under a rupee-based design-build (turnkey) contract as part of the government’s Make in India initiative to promote domestic shipbuilding and strengthen India’s maritime manufacturing ecosystem.

The vessel is expected to be delivered within 36 months of awarding the contract. The timeline includes design and engineering work, procurement of long-lead marine equipment, statutory approvals, construction, testing and commissioning.

A detailed project report has been prepared through a maritime consultancy, while the technical specifications and drawings have been vetted by ship classification society Indian Register of Shipping (IRS).

The project will be funded through Gross Budgetary Support under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, with expenditure met from DGLL’s General Reserve Fund maintained in the Consolidated Fund of India.