The Ministry of Defence, Government of India, intends to procure One National Hospital Ship NHS) for the Indian Navy (IN) from registered Indian Shipyards.

The National Hospital Ship would be capable to provide Primary and Secondary care to the patients onboard the ship. One National Hospital Ship is proposed to be acquired. The anticipated delivery timelines for the first vessel is maximum of 48 months from the date of contract.

Important Technical Parameters

The ship would carry a descriptive notation of a “Hospital Ship”. For assignment of this descriptive notation, the design aspects like General Arrangement, ventilation arrangements, pantry, galley, laundry, sanitary services, fire safety, evacuation routes and Life Saving Appliances arrangements are required to meet class requirements. For ensuring correct design philosophy for hospital spaces, the shipyard is to hire a hospital design consultant to evolve design of the hospital spaces in the class requirements.

Shipyards are to submit option of providing upcoming technologies, if any, which will meet the intended purpose of the NHS and enhance its employability. The detailed design of the ship should incorporate high degree of automation and efficiency enablers. Shipyard need to specifically indicate the degree of automation, details of such efficiency enablers and which new technology will be offered with the NHS.
 
General Capability

The vessel will comply with the Geneva Convention and accordingly painted white with the Red Cross displayed prominently on the ship side and on top. Including the patients (maximum number 250) and hospital staff of 117, maximum number of persons embarked onboard the ship would be approx. 600. The ship will consist of 15 officers and 120 sailors 22 Medical Staff 14 Military Nursing Service (MNS) and 81 sailors. Therefore the Ship is to comply with the requirements of Safe Return to Port (SRtP).