Darshak and a sister ship, scheduled to be built by the Goa shipyard, will be equipped with state-of-the-art survey equipment which will help chart the seabed in the entire Indian peninsula.

Officials at Goa Shipyard Limited said the ship is equipped with the Differential Global Positioning System, Side Scan Sonar and multi-beam echo-sounder arrays. It will also carry four survey motor-boats and one helicopter which will have a survey echo-sounder, useful in shallow waters.

The 86-metre-long Darshak, with a maximum speed of 16 knots, will help the navy map uncharted nautical territories, said GSL chairperson and managing director, Rear Vice-Admiral B R Menon. Darshak's services will also be accessed by countries in South Asia, earning substantial foreign exchange for the navy.

Menon also made a pitch for building of commercial vessels. He saidthe shipyard was capable of building catamarans and other vessels for the state navigation authorities.