Royal Fleet Auxiliary
(abbreviated the RFA) vessels RFA Argus and Lyme Bay reached L&T
Shipbuilding’s Kattupalli Shipyard in Chennai for the Assisted Maintenance
Period (abbreviated the AMP) and Self Maintenance Period (abbreviated the SMP),
respectively.
The RFA Lyme Bay is a
16,600 dwt Bay-class landing vessel dock designed to deliver vehicles, troops,
ammunition, stores, and support ongoing waves of an amphibious assault. The
28,000-dwt RFA Argus is classified as a Primary Casualty Receiving Ship
belonging to the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. It serves as a floating medical
facility with a 100-bed medical complex. The
scope of the vessels’ operations was kept a secret during their duration in the
Mediterranean.
However, in January
2024, RFA Lyme Bay delivered 80 tonnes of vital supplies to Egypt to aid Gaza
residents.
Oliver Ballhatchet
MBE, the Deputy British High Commissioner, said this is the first time Royal
Navy vessels are going through maintenance schedules in India. The move
symbolizes an effort toward the India-UK 2030 Roadmap and echoes a shared understanding of the international security issues
in the Indian Ocean Region.
Commenting on the
landmark event, Mr J D Patil, a Member of the Executive Council of Management
and the Advisor to CMD – L&T, mentioned that the collaboration between L&T Shipbuilding and the Royal Navy
exemplifies the partnership spirit and is a direct consequence of the
logistics-sharing pact that was signed between the two countries back in 2022.