By Dominick Rodrigues
Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL) created a milestone recently on its shipbuilding journey by launching five vessels simultaneously at one go at its Building Dock at Kochi, besides also laying the keel for two more vessels – all this amidst the COVID-19 pandemic by working with available resources and necessary precautions.
The vessels launched included two 8000 DWT Mini General Cargo Ships for JSW Shipping & Logistics Pvt Ltd and three Floating Border Outpost Vessels (FBOP) for the Indian Border Security Force, besides Keel laying being carried out for two 8000 DWT Mini General Cargo Ships for JSW Shipping & Logistics Pvt Ltd.
The five vessels were launched by Mrs Rameetha K, Scientist ‘G’, NPOL (DRDO), wife of Madhu S Nair, CMD, CSL, while Pranab K Jha, VP JSW Shipping and Madhu S Nair, CMD, CSL, did the keel laying for the two new vessels in the presence of Sureshbabu NV, Director (Operations), Bejoy Bhasker, Director(Technical), Jose VJ, Director(Finance) and other officials.
The Mini General Cargo Ships launched recently are part of a series of four similar ships being built for the JSW group — and classed under the standards of Indian Register of Shipping — for transportation of dry bulk cargo such as coal, iron ore, dolomite, and limestone. The vessels, with a length of 122 Mtr and height of 7.20 Mtr and speed of 10 knots, will have a compliment of 16-member crew and are expected to ply on the Coastal route between Jaigarh Port and Dolvi Steel Plant on the river Amba near Dharamtar Port – which, once implemented, is expected to trigger ‘one of the largest inland water transport cargo movements’ in India — in line with the Government of India’s vision for the development of the National Waterways.
The three 46-metres-long FBOP’s launched here are part of a series of nine vessels designed in-house by CSL and being built for the Water Wing of the Border Security Force, while also having being classed by Indian Register of Shipping. Each FBOP is designed with stowage arrangements for four fast patrol boats, which can be launched and hoisted using its own davit system. The vessels will act as a floating base for the flotilla of fast patrol boats and will supply Petrol, Fresh Water and provisions to the smaller boats while being deployed on India’s Eastern & Western borders.
CSL is expanding geographically and has commenced Ship Repair Units at Mumbai, Kolkata & Port Blair in addition to its Kochi facilities. CSL is also setting up fully-owned subsidiary shipyards at Kolkata (named HCSL) and at Malpe, Karnataka (named TEBMA Shipyards Limited) to cater to the construction of small & medium vessels as well as inland water vessels.
CSL is also augmenting its infrastructure in Kochi and is currently investing around Rs 2,800 Crore in the construction of a new 310-M-long dry dock at CSL and a shiplift-based Ship Repair Yard at Willingdon Island, Kochi, CSL officials stated.
