Shillong, Sept 9: Journalists from Meghalaya and Sikkim visited Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), India’s largest public-sector shipyard, in Kochi in Wednesday as part of a joint press tour to Kerala organised by the Press Information Bureau (PIB).
During the visit, the delegation saw the facilities used for shipbuilding and ship repair and was briefed on CSL’s work in the defence, commercial, offshore and emerging gr6een maritime sectors.
INS Vikrant, India’s first Indigenous Aircraft Carrier and the largest warship built in the country, was among the major projects discussed during the visit. Built by CSL for the Indian Navy, the carrier was commissioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the shipyard in September 2022. Its construction was a significant milestone in India’s capability to build complex warships domestically.
The delegation was briefed by Ashley Gomez, Senior Manager (Administration) & PRO, Cochin Shipyard Limited, on the shipyard’s development, infrastructure, major projects and operations across its different business segments.
The journalists also visited the New Dry Dock, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in January 2024. Built at a cost of Rs 1,799 crore, the facility is 310 metres long and 75 metres wide and can accommodate aircraft carriers with docking displacement of up to 70,000 tonnes, as well as large commercial vessels, LNG carriers, jack-up rigs and other specialised vessels. At the inauguration, Prime Minister Modi described the facility as a symbol of national pride and an engineering marvel. Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Shri Sarbananda Sonowal, who was present on the occasion, highlighted its role in expanding shipbuilding and ship-repair capacity at Kochi.
At the ‘Smriti’ Model Room, the journalists were briefed on the design and planning stages of vessel construction. The delegation then visited the shipbuilding area, where it observed fabrication and assembly activities and was briefed on the different stages involved in constructing vessels.
CSL has undertaken more than 500 new-building projects and over 2,500 ship-repair projects. Its shipbuilding portfolio includes commercial vessels such as bulk carriers, oil tankers, container ships and passenger vessels, as well as electric ferries, dredgers, tugs, offshore vessels and naval platforms.
The delegation also visited the ship-repair facilities and was briefed on the maintenance and refitting of naval and commercial vessels. CSL has specialised facilities for dry-dock repairs of Indian Navy aircraft carriers and has undertaken repair and refit work on vessels including INS Viraat, INS Vikramaditya and INS Vikrant.
The journalists were also briefed on CSL’s recent work in green maritime technology. The shipyard has commenced construction of four battery-electric tugs for Svitzer, part of a growing shift towards cleaner propulsion systems for harbour operations.
The delegation also visited the International Ship Repair Facility, which has a 6,000-tonne ship lift and multiple workstations. The facility forms part of CSL’s ship-repair infrastructure and is intended to increase India’s capacity for undertaking ship repairs domestically.
CSL currently employs more than 10,000 people and works with over 500 active vendors. Its operations extend across seven locations, with activities covering shipbuilding, ship repair, marine engineering and related maritime services.
