INS Sagardhwani (A74)

INS Sagardhwani (A74) (Hindi : सागरध्वनि - Voice of the Sea) is a marine acoustic research ship (MARS) owned by the Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory (NPOL), a DRDO laboratory and is maintained and operated by the Indian Navy, and based at Southern Naval Command, Kochi.[4]

INS Sagardhwani in Kochi on the occasion of Navy Day in 2020

Sagardhwani (A74) at sea
History
India
Name	INS Sagardhwani
Builder	Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers, Kolkata
Launched	May 1991
Commissioned	30 July 1994
Homeport	Kochi, India
Identification	IMO number: 8802818 Callsign: VVXQ
Status	in active service
General characteristics
Type	Research ship
Displacement	2,050 long tons (2,083 t) full load[1]
Length	85.1 m (279 ft) o/a[2]
Beam	12.8 m (42 ft)[2]
Propulsion	2 × diesel engines 3,860 hp (2,880 kW) sustained 2 shafts 2 auxiliary thrusters[1]
Speed	16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph)[1]
Range	6,000 nmi (11,000 km) at 16 kn (30 km/h; 18 mph)[1]
Endurance	200 days[3]
Complement	80, plus 16 scientists[1]
Sensors and processing systems	Racal Decca 1629 radar at I-band frequency[1]
Aircraft carried	1 × HAL Chetak[1]
Aviation facilities	Helicopter landing pad[1]

The ship was built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers, Kolkata,[4] launched in May 1991,[1] and commissioned in 1994.[4] It is similar in design to the Sandhayak-class survey ships, but with the superstructure positioned amidships and a helipad forward.[1] The vessel is designed to facilitate low noise and low vibration while carrying out acoustic programmes. It has floating floors for scientific laboratories, anti-vibration mountings for machinery and equipment, balloon launching container and wind weather radar to carry out those experiments. It is also equipped with VHF sets, marine radio and auto telephone exchange.[3]

Internally, the ship has eight laboratories for various scientific disciplines, and a mini-operating theatre with medical staff. At the stern is handling equipment for mooring and retrieving oceanographic and acoustic buoys. It can accommodate up to 82 persons, including 16 scientists, and a crew of 8 officers and 58 sailors.[5]