CSL’s dry dock project to increase India’s share in global ship building to 2 per cent

Kochi: The Cochin Shipyard’s dry dock project is likely to increase India’s share in global ship building to 2 per cent says Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Shipping, Road Transport & Highways. He was laying the foundation for India’s largest Dry Dock at Cochin Shipyard, along with Pinarayi Vijayan, Chief Minister of Kerala today. At present, India occupies 0.66 per cent share in global ship building market. The commercial ship building industry in the country is Rs 3200 crores and focuses primarily on small-medium sized off-shore vessels and cargo/bulk carriers. The Dry Dock will give an impetus to “Make in India” initiative under Sagarmala he added.

“The profit making Cochin Shipyard will not be privatised. We don’t make any profit making institution to privatisation. We will never allow any private person to take this because the Cochin Shipyard (CSL) is in good profit,” the minister for Shipping, Road Transport and Highways said.

CSL’s project will pave way to the development of India along with the growth of Kerala. This achievement will be a challenge to the foreign countries. The Kerala government is giving great importance to the Inland Water Transport. With the completion of Vizhinjam harbour project, Kerala will play a major role in the tourism industry says Pinarayi Vijayan, Chief Minister of Kerala while addressing the function.

At present, Cochin shipyard has two dry docks, one predominantly used for ship building of size 255m x 43 x 43 x 9m and capacity 1, 10,000 DWT and the other one for for ship repair of size 270 x 45 x 12m and capacity 1, 25,000 DWT .The project is expected to be completed by May 2021 and generate employment opportunities for about two thousand people. Equipped with Dry Dock , Cochin Shipyard will be able to build specialised and technologically advanced large vessels like LNG Carriers , drill ships, Jack Up Rigs, Aircraft Carriers for Indian Navy and High Research Vessels.

The new Dry Dock is being constructed at a cost of Rs 1799 Crore. It will be 310 m long, 75m wide, with a depth of 13 m and drought of 9.5m. Moreover, it will be designed to handle both ship building and repairs, and bear a load up to 600 T/m with international safety standards. The dock will also have a water treatment plant and Green Belt Development..

Incorporated in the year 1972, CSL, has today, and emerged as a forerunner in the Indian ship building & ship repair industry and also as an emergent player in the international arena. The new drydock , when commissioned, will help the company to have a more diversified product profile. This will help make Cochin a one stop maritime hub for all repair needs in South East Asia. The project is expected to be completed by May 2021 and generate employment opportunities for about 2000 people said Madhu S Nair, MD and CEO Cochin Shipyard.

On the occasion, two 500 capacity passenger vessels built by CSL for Andaman and Nicobar Islands administration were also launched by Kanchan Gadkari, Wife of Nithin Gadkari. These vessels will help enhance intra island connectivity.