ORV Sagar Manthan, indigenous ocean research vessel, launched at Kolkata

ORV Sagar Manthan: what happened?

Research ships are floating laboratories. India’s veteran ORV Sagar Kanya came from Germany in 1983. The new ship is the first advanced ocean research vessel built at home by GRSE, part of a shift from buying such ships abroad to building them.

• Yard 3041 was launched and named ORV Sagar Manthan at Rishi Bankim Shipyard, Kolkata.
• It was designed, engineered and built by GRSE for NCPOR under MoES.
• Launch came within two years of contract signing and about five months after keel laying.
• It will gradually replace ORV Sagar Kanya (procured from Germany in 1983).
• MoES plans more oceanographic vessels and a Polar Research Vessel.

What can the ship do?

• Dynamic positioning, multibeam bathymetry, multichannel seismic systems and sub-bottom profiling.
• Weather radar, drop keels, and deployment of Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV) and Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUV).
• Exploration along Indian Ocean mid-oceanic ridges for multi-metal hydrothermal sulphide mineralisation.
• Environmental baselines, upper-air data and CTD profiling.
• Dual-class certification by the Indian Register of Shipping and the American Bureau of Shipping.

What else happened in deep-sea science that week?

• From 7 to 11 September 2026, CMLRE Kochi (MoES) hosted a Deep-sea Macrofauna Taxonomy School.
• It ran under the Sustainable Seabed Knowledge Initiative (SSKI) of the International Seabed Authority (ISA), with IORA and Korea’s MABIK.
• About 30 early-career researchers from Indian Ocean countries trained in taxonomy, DNA barcoding and biodiversity data.

Which constitutional provision is relevant?

• Article 297: all lands, minerals and other things of value underlying the ocean within the territorial waters, continental shelf or exclusive economic zone of India vest in the Union.
• So deep-sea exploration and seabed resources are a Union matter.

What are the project milestones?

What happens after launch?

1. Hull moved into water
2. Superstructure erection
3. System integration
4. Extensive sea trials
5. Delivery to NCPOR in 2028

Why does ORV Sagar Manthan matter?

What are the challenges in ORV Sagar Manthan?

• Sea trials and system integration must finish on time for 2028 delivery.
• One ship cannot meet all research needs; more vessels are planned.
• Deep-sea mining raises environmental questions; biodiversity baselines are needed first.

What should be done next on ORV Sagar Manthan?

• Complete outfitting and sea trials.
• Acquire the planned oceanographic and Polar Research Vessels.
• Build taxonomy and baseline data, as at the CMLRE school.

What can Prelims ask on ORV Sagar Manthan?

• ORV Sagar Manthan: built by GRSE for NCPOR (MoES); launched Kolkata, 9 September 2026.
• Deep Ocean Mission, Vertical-4: Deep Ocean Survey and Exploration.
• Replaces ORV Sagar Kanya (from Germany, 1983).
• Dual class: IRS and ABS.
• Article 297: seabed resources vest in the Union.

How to write about ORV Sagar Manthan in Mains

Practice question (10 marks, 150 words): Discuss the importance of indigenous research vessels for India’s Deep Ocean Mission, with reference to ORV Sagar Manthan.

• Intro: Sagar Manthan launched 9 September 2026; ₹840 crore; GRSE.
• Capabilities: multibeam, seismic, ROV/AUV, Southern Ocean.
• Uses: climate, tsunami, minerals, baselines.
• Challenges: timelines, fleet size, environment.
• Conclusion: Atmanirbhar ocean science.