Gaj-class tugboat

Not to be confused with INS Gaj (2002).

The Gaj class offshore tugboats are a series of two auxiliary watercraft built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd., Kolkata, for the Indian Navy. The vessels in the class are Indian Navy's biggest tugboats and can be used for towing aircraft carriers.^[1]

INS Matanga, the second Gaj-class tugboat
Class overview
Name	Gaj-class tugboat
Builders	Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers, Kolkata, India
Operators	Indian Navy
In commission	1973–2017
Completed	2
Active	0
Retired	2
General characteristics [1][2]
Type	Ocean-going Tugboat
Tonnage	1,313 GT
Displacement	1,600 long tons (1,600 t) full load
Length	67.8 m (222 ft 5 in)
Beam	12.3 m (40 ft 4 in)
Draught	4 m (13 ft 1 in)
Propulsion	2 × Garden Reach G7V diesel engines 2 shafts 3,920 bhp (2,923 kW)
Speed	15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Capacity	Bollard pull: 40 tons
Complement	75 including 6 officers
Sensors and processing systems	Decca 1226 (I) Radar
Armament	1 × 40 mm 60-cal Bofors Mk 3 gun

Description

Each vessel in the class has a 40-ton bollard pull and are powered by twin Garden Reach G7V diesel engines coupled to two propellers with a total output of 3920 bhp. They have four foam monitors installed for firefighting operations. The vessels have a speed of 15 knots and are also fitted with diving and salvage equipment. They carry an RCC (recompression chamber) and can render limited submarine rescue services.^[1][2][3]

External image
Gaj class tugboat
INS Matanga

Ships in the class

Pennant No.	Name	Launched	Commissioned	Decommissioned	Notes
A-51	INS Gaj	September 1972 [4]	20 September 1973	14 August 1996	[1][2]
A-53	INS Matanga	29 October 1977	2 April 1983	27 January 2017 [5]	[6]

See also

• Tugboats of the Indian Navy