Hindustan Shipyard explores Kakinada slipway for additional shipbuilding capacity

New Delhi: Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL), a Miniratna defence public sector undertaking, has signed a memorandum of understanding with Kakinada Seaports Limited (KSPL) to examine the use of an existing slipway and jetty at Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh, as a second base for ship construction.
The agreement was signed on 29 October at the INMARCO event by Rear Admiral Chandrasekharan Raghuram, VSM (Retd.), chairman and managing director of HSL, and K.V. Rao, chairman and managing director of KSPL. MoU to assess and utilise infrastructure already in place at the Kakinada waterfront rather than waiting for entirely new facilities to be built.
A slipway is the inclined surface on which a ship’s hull is assembled and from which it is launched into the water. A jetty provides berthing space for subsequent outfitting and completion work. Constructing such structures from scratch requires substantial time, land and capital. By studying the Kakinada assets, HSL aims to identify a practical route to add capacity while making use of maritime infrastructure that is already operational.
For HSL, whose principal yard is in Visakhapatnam, the Kakinada site could function as an additional location for shipbuilding. The company sees the arrangement as a step that would enlarge its operational capacity and open possibilities in shipbuilding and related maritime activities. An extra site would also extend HSL’s presence along the Andhra Pradesh coast and support the cluster of services and suppliers that typically form around an active yard.
Under the MoU, the two organisations will first conduct a detailed assessment of the slipway, jetty and supporting facilities to determine their current capabilities. Where gaps are identified, the agreement contemplates infrastructure upgrades, either strengthening existing structures or adding new ones, so the site can meet HSL’s shipbuilding requirements. Collaborative models will then be used to identify and execute specific projects. The size and type of vessels that could be built at Kakinada will depend on the results of the assessment and any subsequent modifications.
The Kakinada understanding forms part of HSL’s broader expansion efforts in Andhra Pradesh. In November 2025, at the 30th CII Partnership Summit in Visakhapatnam, HSL signed a separate MoU with the Andhra Pradesh Maritime Board to explore the development of a greenfield shipyard in the state. A greenfield project involves construction on undeveloped land and is inherently longer-term. The Kakinada initiative takes a different path by starting with existing facilities.