Inauguration of New Pier boosts Karwar Naval Base

Admiral R Hari Kumar, the Navy chief, announced the inauguration of new infrastructure at the Karwar naval base in coastal Karnataka. This includes a significant addition in the form of a major pier to accommodate warships, as part of the ongoing expansion known as Project Seabird. The goal of this project is to establish Karwar as the largest naval facility in Asia. The 350-metre-long pier has the capacity to host various types of vessels, such as offshore patrol vessels, large survey vessels, and mine countermeasure vessels. It is seen as a strategic asset for the Navy, providing both depth and flexibility in operations along the western seaboard, particularly in dealings with Pakistan. The pier will offer essential shore-based services like electrical power, potable water, chilled water for air conditioning, a 30-tonne mobile crane, and other domestic services to the warships. Currently, Karwar serves as the home base for more than 10 frontline warships. Upon the completion of Phase IIA of Project Seabird, it will have the capability to berth 32 major warships and submarines, along with 23 yard-craft. Additionally, this phase involves the establishment of a dual-use naval air station, a fully equipped naval dockyard, four covered dry berths, and logistics infrastructure for ships and aircraft. During the inauguration, the Navy chief also unveiled additional residential accommodation at Karwar. According to the officer, the base is projected to accommodate approximately 10,000 uniformed and civilian personnel with families in the future, which will significantly boost the local economy and industrial growth. Speaking about the ongoing marine works, the officer highlighted the construction of piers designed to accommodate ships and submarines, spanning over 6 km of berthing space. Technical facilities, electrical substations, switch gears, and other support utilities are also being developed. The centerpiece of these developments is an iconic covered dry berth, towering at 75 metres, taller than the Qutub Minar in Delhi, and covering an area of 33,000 square metres. This dry berth is designed to facilitate simultaneous docking and comprehensive enclosed maintenance of up to four major warships.