On April 9, 2024, Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral R Hari Kumar, inaugurated a major Pier and Residential Accommodations at Naval Base Karwar as part of Project Seabird Phase IIA. The event was attended by Vice Admiral SJ Singh, C-in-C, Western Naval Command, Vice Admiral Tarun Sobti, Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff, Rear Admiral KM Ramakrishnan, Flag Officer Commanding Karnataka Naval Area, Rear Admiral Cyril Thomas, Additional Director General Seabird, and other senior officers.
The newly inaugurated Pier 3 Offshore Patrol Vessel Pier, spanning 350m, is designed to accommodate OPVs, large survey vessels, and Mine Counter countermeasure vessels. It provides various shore-based services, including electrical power, potable water, chilled water for air conditioning, a 30-ton mobile crane, and other domestic services to the ships.
In addition, the residential accommodation comprises two towers with 80 flats for Married Officers (Lieutenant Commander to Captain) and 149 flats for Single Officers’ Accommodation, along with related amenities and external services. Furthermore, six towers of Type-II accommodation, consisting of 360 flats for Defence Civilians, were also inaugurated.
These infrastructure developments are crucial components of the ongoing Phase IIA of Project Seabird, which aims to accommodate 32 ships and submarines, 23 yard crafts, a dual-use Naval Air Station, a full-fledged Naval Dockyard, four covered Dry Berths, and logistics for ships and aircraft. The project is expected to accommodate around 10,000 uniformed and civilian personnel with families, significantly boosting the local economy and industrial growth. The anticipated Naval Air Station with Civil Enclave is poised to enhance tourism in North Karnataka and South Goa. The ongoing construction of Phase-IIA of Project Seabird has generated 7,000 direct and 20,000 indirect jobs, aligning with the vision of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ by sourcing over 90% of materials domestically.
