PrepMaticCurrent affairs · September 2026
ORV Sagar Manthan, India's advanced ocean research vessel, is launched
The Ocean Research Vessel (ORV) Sagar Manthan, Yard 3041, was launched on 9 September 2026 at the Rishi Bankim Shipyard in Kolkata. It was built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited (GRSE) for the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR) under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES). Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh launched it virtually, and his spouse Mrs Manju Singh named the vessel.
Key facts
| Point | Detail |
|---|---|
| Builder | Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited (GRSE), a defence public sector undertaking |
| Owner | NCPOR, Ministry of Earth Sciences |
| Programme | Vertical-4 (Deep Ocean Survey and Exploration) of the Deep Ocean Mission |
| Approximate cost | ₹840 crore |
| Service life | 30 years |
| Certification | Dual class, by the Indian Register of Shipping and the American Bureau of Shipping |
| Delivery | Scheduled for 2028 |
About the vessel
Sagar Manthan is the first advanced ocean research vessel built by GRSE. It will gradually replace the 43-year-old ORV Sagar Kanya, which was procured from Germany in 1983. It is designed to work in extreme conditions, including the Southern Ocean, and is equipped with dynamic positioning, multibeam bathymetry, multichannel seismic systems, sub-bottom profiling, drop keels and facilities for ROVs and AUVs.
Its science programme includes exploring the Indian Ocean mid-oceanic ridges for multi-metal hydrothermal sulphide mineralisation, setting environmental baselines and collecting upper-air data. The timeline: contract in July 2024, first steel cut on 29 November 2024, keel laying on 8 April 2026, launch on 9 September 2026.
Why it matters for exams
Ocean science, the Deep Ocean Mission and ship names are common science and technology current affairs questions in TNPSC, and general awareness items in banking exams. Revise with the general science guide and the TNPSC current affairs guide.
Practice questions
Question 1
Which organisation will operate ORV Sagar Manthan?
- A. ISRO
- B. National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research
- C. Indian Navy
- D. Geological Survey of India
Question 2
Which older research vessel will Sagar Manthan gradually replace?
- A. ORV Sagar Kanya
- B. INS Sagardhwani
- C. ORV Sindhu Sadhana
- D. MV Sagar Nidhi
Answers
- B. The vessel is being built for NCPOR under the Ministry of Earth Sciences.
- A. It will replace the 43-year-old ORV Sagar Kanya, procured from Germany in 1983.
Source
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