The Hindu Business Line : Cochin Shipyard bets big on overseas orders

The order book
6 bulk carriers for the Bahamas group.
9 vessels for Jeddah Port Authority, Saudi Arabia.
8 platform supply vessel for Sea Tanker Management Group, Norway.

Kochi , March 2

Cochin Shipyard Ltd has launched a bulk carrier for the Clipper Group of Bahamas, a tug for Jeddah Port Authority, Saudi Arabia, and a platform supply vessel for Sea Tanker Management Group, Norway.

Clipper Target is a 30,000 dwt bulk carrier and is part of an order for six vessels placed by the Bahamas group.

The platform supply vessel is part of an order for eight such vessels and the fire-fighting tug was part of an order for nine vessels.

CSL had signed the contract in January 2004 for building six 30,000 dwt bulk carriers.Cmde M. Jitendran, Chairman and Managing Director, CSL, said the order for the bulk carrier from Clipper was the first of the construction orders for large ships received by the yard.

The vision to go global and emerge as a yard of reckoning in this part of the world meant that the company had to construct these ships in top quality and deliver on time. Very stiff delivery schedules and high quality requirements of the international owners were a daunting task. The enterprise and diehard spirit of the yard's workforce has helped achieve these targets, he said.

He pointed out that the breakthrough achieved by CSL in the foreign market was instrumental in bagging the order for another series of 4 platform supply ships from Sea Tanker Management Group, Norway. The work on these vessels is also in progress.

The company, he said, is planning to set up efficient ancillary units to augment its rate of production, and sustain the new-found momentum.

Expressions of interests have been received for block building, which would be finalised shortly. Setting up of other ancillaries such as electronics, hydraulics and accommodation outfitting etc., are also on the anvil.

CSL has also commenced work on the aircraft carrier for the Indian Navy.