Port Blair, May 1: INS Investigator, a Hydrographic Survey Ship of the Indian Navy arrived at Blair on 30th Apr 2013. The ship has been based at Port Blair under the Administrative and Operational Command of the Commander-in -Chief Andaman & Nicobar Command.
She is an indigenously designed vessel constructed at GRSE, Kolkata. Shri Jyoti Basu, then Chief Minister of West Bengal commissioned the ship on 11th Jan 1990. Her primary role is to carry out hydrographic survey tasks and is actively involved is preparations of Marine Charts and electronic Maps for ECOIS system.
During disaster relief operations she may be called upon to perform duties of a hospital ship. The ship is fitted with the state of the art electronic, hydrographic survey and navigation equipment. The permanent basing of the ship will expedite the process of revalidation of navigational charts of A&N Islands, and will immensely benefit the Islands.
The Naval Hydrographic Service under the Chief Hydrographer to the Govt of India is an Indian Naval organisation. Besides charting Indian waters the service has provided yeoman service is charting foreign waters of littorals friendly nation.