The Union Minister for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences, Dr. Harsh Vardhan laid the foundation stone for the ocean research facility of ESSO- NIOT near ocean front at Thupilipallam village in Vakadu Mandal near Nellore in Andhra Pradesh last evening. This new research facility for NIOT, to be established at a cost of over Rs. 250 crores will allow testing of various equipment and operations to be undertaken in actual sea conditions and would enable demonstration of its various technologies. Speaking on the occasion he said that setting of this facility in this new State of Andhra Pradesh is expected to definitely and greatly contribute to its progress.
The foundation laying ceremony took place in the august presence Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh Shri Nara Chandra Babu Naidu, Union Minister for Urban Development; Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation & Parliamentary Affairs Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu, Union Minister of State for Ministry of Science & Technology & Earth Sciences Shri. Y. S. Chowdary, people’s representatives of the region, various Ministers of the State Government and senior officials.
This Earth System Science Organization – National Institute of Ocean Technology facility at Nellore in Andhra Pradesh is expected to be the future hub of Ocean technology in India.
The Government of Andhra Pradesh through the district administration of Nellore has transferred 211 acres of land in two different places – one located at near Thupilipallam village in Vakadu Mandal abetting the sea and another one at Chittedu for Computational and Training facility.
The training facility near the Chittedu village is for software development for ocean data analysis and to provide training to the students in the ocean related R&D areas. A data centre is also proposed for analysis, data computation and interpretation of ocean data.
The research facility itself would have several laboratories for carrying out prototype tests in a test pond to qualify the method and procedures of deep sea mining concept where a crawler based mining machine collects, crushes and pumps nodules to the mother ship using a positive displacement pump through a flexible riser system. Minerals like copper, cobalt, nickel and manganese can be extracted from such deep sea mining. This facility also caters the sustained development of technology towards harnessing the energy from Gas Hydrates in deep seas.
This facility spread across over 150 acres is proposed to cater the needs of the nation in the design and installation activities considering growing needs of offshore applications. This facility will comprise of physical wave basin for scaled model experimental studies, deep water installations, visualization, dynamic simulator, high performance computing etc.
It will have a Testing facility for Marine Biotechnology wherein there will be facilities for Marine finfish hatchery cum nursery complex, Algal culture process lab, Fish feed formulation and testing facility, intake facilities for sea water and brackish water for laboratory testing to study the natural marine resources etc,.
Among several other research facilities there are testing facilities for Marine Sensor System, for Ocean Electronics, Ocean Acoustics and also Modeling Laboratories. A berthing facility with control room located at this center is also proposed to manage the running, operation and maintenance of the fleet of for various Ministry of Earth Sciences research Vessels.