MO (MB)

Material Organisation (Mumbai)

Historical Background

In the year 1954, Ordinance Depot (Kurla) was rechristened as Naval Store Depot (Kurla) under Captain Superintendent of Yard, Bombay. An integral Material Logistics organisation which could provide the requisite logistics support to a rapidly growing Indian Navy, Naval Store Organisation, Kurla which provided the warehousing support and Spare Parts Distribution Centre (SPDC), Mankhurd, provided the planning and procurement cover to create a new organisation called the Material Organisation in 1972. The integration and operationalisation of the new organisation was achieved by 1974. However the controllerate continued to function from different locations across Dockyard, Sewri & Ghatkopar. It was the year 1985 when these Controllerate were shifted to Ghatkopar with the Material Superintendent also shifting office from ND (Mbi) to the present premises under the Administrative Control of HQWNC and functional control of NHQ under Chief of Logistics Services (CLS). This era witnessed rapid growth of the Navy with increasing operational logistics requirements due to our transition from being a brown water navy to a blue water navy. Post 1985, the organisation evolved quickly. Automation of Inventory management processes was considered the way ahead to handle the increasing size of inventory & associated functions. Accordingly, a new controllerate, called Controllerate of Management Services (CMS) was created in 1986. The Material Organisation has come a long way since it moved to its present location in 1985. It is the second largest establishment of WNC and largest Material Logistics Organisation of the Navy.

Functions and Role

The roles of Material Organisation, Mumbai, are as follows: -

  • Provide Ops Logistics Support to all operational units of the Navy, operating beyond National Maritime boundaries.
  • Import / export for all types of stores, by sea as well as air, for the entire Navy.
  • Annual review of naval stores, machinery and spares, Soviet /Russian origin stores, clothing and mess traps.
  • MO (MBI) is also responsible to the Flag Officer Commanding, Western Naval Command, for: -
    • Supply of Naval and general stores including fuels, oils and lubricants.
    • Machinery and spares
    • Soviet stores.

Major Achievements

The major achievements of this organisation are as follows:-

  • Expeditious spares availability for early completion of the refits.
  • Prompt material support to ships from other commands.
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