LSAM 18 (YARD 128): Indian Navy’s 4th ACTCM Barge Launched in Thane

Current Context: The ‘Ammunition Cum Torpedo Cum Missile Barge, LSAM 18’ (Yard 128), the 4th barge of the 11 ACTCM Barge Project, was launched on February 28, 2024.

• This barge was built by MSME Shipyard, M/s Suryadipta Projects Pvt Ltd, Thane for the Indian Navy.
• The launching ceremony was presided over by Cmde Shirish Dube, Directorate of Ship Production.
• These barges are designed to facilitate the transportation, embarkation, and disembarkation of ammunition articles to Indian Navy warships, both alongside jetties and at outer harbors.
• They are indigenously designed and built under relevant Naval Rules and Regulation of the Indian Register of Shipping.
• The model testing of the barge during the design stage was undertaken at the Naval Science and Technological Laboratory, Visakhapatnam.
• The contract for building these 11 ACTCM Barges was signed between the Ministry of Defence and M/s Suryadipta Projects Pvt Ltd, Thane on March 5, 2021.
• These barges are a part of the ‘Make in India’ initiative of the Government of India.

Question:

Q.1 When was the ‘Ammunition Cum Torpedo Cum Missile Barge, LSAM 18’ (Yard 128) launched?
a. March 5, 2021
b. February 28, 2024
c. March 5, 2023
d. February 28, 2023