India-Korea shipbuilding projects to come up in Kerala, Tamil Nadu
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "India-Korea shipbuilding projects to come up in Kerala, Tamil Nadu")
India-Korea shipbuilding projects to come up in Kerala, Tamil Nadu Photograph: (Photo Courtesy: Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Govt of India)
The Indo-Korea collaboration will also focus on joint execution of shipbuilding projects at CSL’s existing facilities during the transition phase, while simultaneously exploring opportunities in new business areas.
The Indian Government shipbuilding firm Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) had inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with HD Korea Shipbuilding and Offshore Engineering (HD KSOE) for a long-term strategic collaboration in shipbuilding. According to CSL, this partnership seeks to combine their legacy, infrastructure, and domestic expertise with HD KSOE’s advanced technology and global experience, marking a significant step in strengthening India’s shipbuilding capabilities.
Under this MoU, CSL’s 310-meter new dry dock, which was inaugurated in January 2024, will be utilised to construct large vessels such as Suezmax tankers, container ships, and Capesize bulk carriers, with a capacity of up to six vessels annually. Suezmax tankers are those designed to be the largest vessel size that can transit the Suez Canal when fully loaded. Capesize bulk carriers are one of the largest types of dry bulk ships, primarily used to transport massive quantities of raw materials like iron ore and coal.
To support this effort, a dedicated Block Fabrication Facility (BFF) spread across 80acres is planned at Kochi, Kerala, with an annual capacity of 120,000 metric tonnes, involving an investment of about ₹3,700 crore ($417mn). Block Fabrication Facilities are specialised sites where large individual sections or blocks of a ship are constructed before being assembled into the full vessel. This approach is commonly used in modern shipbuilding to increase efficiency, quality control, and safety. This approach enables the parallel construction of different parts of the ship. Government estimates say, this initiative would generate around 2,000 direct jobs and substantial indirect employment in sectors such as logistics, MSMEs, supply chains, and ancillary industries.
The Indo-Korea collaboration will also focus on joint execution of shipbuilding projects at CSL’s existing facilities during the transition phase, while simultaneously exploring opportunities in new business areas, greenfield shipyards, and skill development.
Recently, CSL had signed an MoU to setup a shipbuilding hub in Thoothukudi district in the Southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. CSL elaborated that its investment of about ₹15,000 crore($1.69bn) to establish a state-of-the-art shipyard in Tamil Nadu would be in collaboration with a Korean partner. In its first phase, the project is projected to create nearly 10,000 jobs, comprising 4,000 direct and 6,000 indirect opportunities. Further, they may also include a modern ship repair facility.
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