Feature 4
(CD) norms. Our in-house design team is
Cochin Shipyard chairman and managing
busy exclusively with the aircraft carrier.’
director Commodore M Jitendran
As well as plans to build a new facility
(Retired).
to cater for offshore demand, CSL plans to
set up an industrial area on its premises
for manufacturing minor components of The group is looking at large, sophisticated
shipbuilding. A mini industrial estate is vessels like compressed natural gas and
aimed at increasing the indigenous input liquefied natural gas carriers, and container
in all ongoing and future projects like the vessels of up to 300,000dwt. There would
air defence ship for the Navy and large also be a smaller shipbuilding dock for
tankers. constructing offshore support vessels and
The shipyard is in the process of survey ships.
identifying components common on all have started working together by co- L&T recently bagged a US$108 million
types of ships, with a view to ensuring promoting a new shipyard. Our first order from the Rotterdam-based Zadeko
a bulk market for small-scale investors. vessel should sail out in 2009.’ Ship Management CV (now Rolldock) to
The industrial estate would include Mercator Mech has been allotted build four ro-ro/lo-lo semisubmersible
companies making blocks, hydraulics, 180acres of land by the Gujarat heavylift container vessels for special-
and electronics. government for the yard, for the purpose cargo movement.
‘We are looking for local partners to construction of which it will sell equity The ships for the Dutch group would have
manufacture lifts, hydraulics, cranes, and to a private financial institution. The deadweight tonnage of 8250tonnes, with
deck machinery,’ says Cmde Jitendran. company is also scouting around for 17,000m
3
of cargo hold, and the capability
‘We will provide these manufacturers suitable land for a second yard. of carrying 830TEU of containerised cargo.
with land and technology. The units Meanwhile, Mech Marine is No such vessels are currently being built in
will showcase their products to other independently setting up a new India.
shipyards, and will be free to sell directly shipyard on 200acres of land in Palghar, ‘The order for building such highly
to them.’ Maharashtra, at a cost of Rs3 billion. Even specialised cargo vessels is just the
Meanwhile, the success of the private as the civil building work is in progress, beginning as we have plans to build ships
sector shipyards has encouraged several the simultaneous construction of three for the Indian Navy and Coast Guard,’
Indian corporates thus far unconnected ships has also been taken up. says Mr Kotwal. ‘The new shipyard to be
with shipbuilding to venture into the The Palghar yard is capable of building constructed would have the capability to
arena. ships of up to 150m in length, such as manufacture any type of ship, including
The countr y’s second largest small tankers that can carry petroleum frigates and destroyers for the Navy.’
private shipowner, Mercator Lines, products. The company currently has Also interested in a shipbuilding venture is
recently announced the formation of a an orderbook of 13 vessels, aggregating the Tata group, which is currently conducting
shipbuilding joint venture with Gujarat- Rs7.5 billion. a feasibility study for the construction of
based Mech Marine Engineers, to be a shipyard near Shivrajpur, on the Gujarat
named Mercator Mech Marine. l&T invests in three coast. Clearly, a shipyard would have
The newly formed shipbuilding joint Meanwhile, Mumbai-based engineering considerable synergies with the group’s steel
venture plans to build cargo-carrying and construction giant Larsen and business. ‘An entry into shipbuilding would
vessels of all sizes up to the Panamax Toubro has decided to pump Rs20 billion be ideal for the Tatas since they are already
level at Mech Marine’s proposed Rs20 into a greenfield shipbuilding venture, to into steel and transportation, after forging
billion shipyard at the port of Vansi Borsi be located in one of three coastal Indian a 50:50 joint venture in December last year
on the Gujarat coastline. states – Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, with Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK) line for
‘Our yard would be able to handle the and Gujarat. setting up a shipping company,’ says Divay
construction of ships of up to 75,000dwt, The conglomerate already owns a Goel, director and head of Asia operations
that could carry dry bulk commodities,’ shipbuilding yard in Hazira on the for Drewry Maritime Services.
said Mercator Lines chairman Harish Gujarat coast, but is hamstrung by the Locating the shipyard in Gujarat would
Kumar Mittal, who was designated fact that there is little scope for expansion have several advantages for the Tatas, since
chairman of the shipbuilding venture, of the present facilities. the state is pushing hard to develop 10
while A Mohanlal, managing director ‘What we need is 1000acres-1200acres clusters with 10 shipyards in each cluster,
of Mech Marine, was named managing at a suitable location on the Indian and envisages private sector investments
director. coastline, with adequate draught near aggregating Rs500 billion (US$12.5
‘Mercator and Mech Marine have the shore, so that we could build larger billion). Several incentives, including
shared a good business relationship for vessels than we are able to do in Hazira,’ land at attractive rates and extended tax
several years,’ said Mr Mohanlal. ‘Earlier, says M V Kotwal, L&T senior executive holidays, are being provided by the state
we built ships for Mercator; now we vice-president – heavy engineering. government. NA
The Naval Architect March 2008 77
NA Mar 08 - p72+73+75+
77.indd 77 10/03/2008 14:54:41
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