Repair Activities Completed On The First-Ever American Naval Vessel To Reach India For Maintenance

The task of repairing the US naval vessel, Charles Drew, docked at the Larsen & Toubro (L&T) shipyard was executed on Wednesday.

The regular maintenance on the naval vessel included repairs to crew habitability and safety equipment and systems, a press release shared by the US Consulate General, Chennai mentioned.

Charles Drew is a Clark-class dry cargo vessel of the US Military Sealift Command’s (MSC) Lewis.

The first-ever American naval vessel to reach India for repairs was docked at L&T’s shipyard in Kattupalli in north Chennai on 7 August. Authorities reportedly specified that the tasks of maintenance/repair would be executed by 17 August.

Judith Ravin, the US Consul General, based in Chennai, mentioned that the repair activities of a US naval ship dubbed L&T. conducted by Charles Drew It’s a landmark development that must be celebrated as it is an indication of the strengthened US-India collaboration.

Ajay Kumar, the Defence Secretary, mentioned that India’s initiative to offer logistics, refits, and repairs to the US vessels assumes special importance in furthering the strategic partnerships between India and the US, boosting harmony in the South Asian nations per the Indo-Pacific initiative.

Both — the Secretary of Defense named, Lloyd Austin, and the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, expressed their intentions and wishes to conduct maintenance activities in India amid the US-India 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue that took place in April 2022.

The naval ship’s visit reflects the commitment of the Department of Defense and US Navy to utilize India’s repair facilities, the press note reported.

Charles Drew is one of the vessels that were a part of MSC’s Combat Logistics Force, better known as CLF, which is part of the US Navy. CLF is the supply line for the US navy vessels at sea.

These vessels offer virtually everything Navy vessels require, including food, fuel, fleet ordnance, dry cargo, mail, spare parts, and other supplies.

CLF vessels enable the navy fleet to be at sea and remain combat-ready for extended periods. Besides the US Navy ships, CLF vessels also resupply international allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific zone.

References: The Times Of India, The Print

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