"Cochin Shipyard Poised for Global Expansion with New Dry Dock and Repair Facility"

India's leading shipbuilder, Cochin Shipyard Ltd., has set a new benchmark in shipbuilding and repair capabilities with the unveiling of a cutting-edge dry dock and an international ship repair facility in Kochi. The combined investment for these state-of-the-art facilities amounts to Rs. 2,769 crore, marking Cochin Shipyard's largest investment in capacity expansion to date.

The Rs. 1,799 crore new dry dock, the third in the Mumbai-listed yard and the largest in India, positions Cochin Shipyard among the elite global shipyards capable of constructing large LNG carriers, Capesize and Suezmax vessels, oil rigs, semi-submersibles, and other sizable vessels.

The Rs. 970 crore international ship repair facility, located at Willingdon Island in the adjacent Cochin Port, is set to enhance India's ship repair capacity significantly and establish the region as a prominent repair hub.

Madhu Nair, Chairman and Managing Director of Cochin Shipyard, hailed these projects as a creation of high-grade infrastructure for the nation. Nair, credited with transforming the Kochi-based yard into a globally renowned shipbuilder, emphasized the significance of the new dry dock as a symbol of national pride and engineering prowess.

The new dry dock, which spans 310 meters in length, 75/60 meters in width, and 13 meters in depth, boasts a 600-ton gantry crane, making it one of the largest marine infrastructure facilities in the region. The dock's impressive load-bearing capacity of 600 tons per meter enables the construction of even larger aircraft carriers with a displacement of 70,000 tons. The dry dock can accommodate both ship construction and repair activities.

Larsen & Toubro Ltd, India's leading engineering and construction firm, played a crucial role in constructing the dry dock, while the 600-ton gantry crane was sourced from South Korea's Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. The facility's consultant was Dutch firm Haskoning DHV Consulting Pvt Ltd.

The new dry dock is set to commence operations in May/June, starting with the construction of a 'DCI Dredge Brahmaputra,' a trailing suction hopper dredger (TSHD) with a hopper capacity of 12,000 cubic meters. This marks the first 'Beagle 12' TSHD of its kind, designed by IHC Holland B.V., the world's largest dredger builder.

The dry dock's strategic importance extends to eliminating dependency on foreign nations during emergency national requirements, with a design life of 100 years.

The accompanying international ship repair facility, situated on 42 acres of leased land from Cochin Port Authority, features a ship lift and transfer system with a 6,000-ton capacity. This system can handle vessels of maximum size - 130 meters x 26 meters - with six workstations enabling simultaneous repair of six vessels. The facility aims to undertake repairs for approximately 84 ships annually, contributing to a 25% increase in India's ship repair capacity.

The facility's proximity to the international sea route connecting Southeast Asia to the Middle East positions Kochi as a global destination for ship repairs. This world-class facility is on par with those in Dubai Maritime Centre, Singapore, and China.

The projects are expected to generate significant employment, stimulate ancillary industries, and contribute to the local economy, making Kochi a comprehensive maritime hub for vessel construction and repair. Despite the substantial capacity expansion, Cochin Shipyard remains a debt-free company, showcasing its financial resilience and strategic vision.

ET