INS Matanga, the second Gaj-class tugboat
INS Matanga, the second Gaj-class tugboat
Class overview
NameGaj-class tugboat
BuildersGarden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers, Kolkata, India
OperatorsIndian Navy
In commission1973–2017
Completed2
Active0
Retired2
General characteristics [1][2]
TypeOcean-going Tugboat
Tonnage1,313 GT
Displacement1,600 long tons (1,600 t) full load
Length67.8 m (222 ft 5 in)
Beam12.3 m (40 ft 4 in)
Draught4 m (13 ft 1 in)
Propulsion
  • 2 × Garden Reach G7V diesel engines
  • 2 shafts
  • 3,920 bhp (2,923 kW)
Speed15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph)
CapacityBollard pull: 40 tons
Complement75 including 6 officers
Sensors and
processing systems		Decca 1226 (I) Radar
Armament1 × 40 mm 60-cal Bofors Mk 3 gun

The Gaj class offshore tugboats are a series of two auxiliary watercraft built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd., Kolkata, for the Indian Navy. The vessels in the class are Indian Navy's biggest tugboats and can be used for towing aircraft carriers.[1]

Description

Each vessel in the class has a 40-ton bollard pull and are powered by twin Garden Reach G7V diesel engines coupled to two propellers with a total output of 3920 bhp. They have four foam monitors installed for firefighting operations. The vessels have a speed of 15 knots and are also fitted with diving and salvage equipment. They carry an RCC (recompression chamber) and can render limited submarine rescue services.[1][2][3]

External image
Gaj class tugboat
image icon INS Matanga

Ships in the class

Pennant No. Name Launched Commissioned Decommissioned Notes
A-51 INS Gaj September 1972 [4] 20 September 1973 14 August 1996 [1][2]
A-53 INS Matanga 29 October 1977 2 April 1983 27 January 2017 [5] [6]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d "INS Matanga, Active Indian Navy ships". bharat-rakshak.com. Retrieved 17 May 2014.
  2. ^ a b c "ATF Gaj class". harpoondatabases.com. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 17 May 2014.
  3. ^ "Diving Cadre And The Chariot Project". Indian Navy. Retrieved 17 May 2014.
  4. ^ "INS Gaj commissioned". The Times of India.
  5. ^ "Indian Navy decommissions two ships". Jane's 360. 30 January 2017. Retrieved 13 May 2017.
  6. ^ "Ocean Going Tug INS Matanga (A 53)". Indian Navy. Archived from the original on 5 January 2014. Retrieved 4 January 2014.
Categories