Kochi gears up as shipbuilding hub as PM set to dedicate new projects

PTI, Jan 16, 2024, 7:08 PM IST

Representative image (source: Aswin Krishna Poyil / Wikimedia Commons)

Kochi: Kerala’s port city of Kochi is set to become a bustling hub for ship repair and shipbuilding as Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates projects worth Rs 4000 crore, Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said here on Tuesday.

Speaking at a press meet ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s two-day visit to Kerala, the Minister for Ports, Shipping, and Waterways highlighted three significant projects. These include the New Dry Dock (NOD), the International Ship Repair Facility (ISRF) of Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), and the LPG Import Terminal of Indian Oil Corporation Limited.

Sonowal said that these projects to be inaugurated by the Prime Minister on Wednesday will not only enhance India’s global standing in the maritime sector but also contribute to job creation and support small businesses.

The minister added that the projects were setting a global benchmark and that they were in line with the Prime Minister’s Vision of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikaas’.

According to an official release, the New Dry Dock, built at a cost of Rs 1,799 crores at the existing premises of CSL, Kochi, is a flagship project reflecting India’s engineering prowess and project management capabilities. It is one of the largest marine infrastructures in the region. The New Dry Dock project has incorporated the latest technology and innovations to ensure efficiency, safety, and environmental sustainability.

The ISRF project costing Rs 970 crores is set up in 42 acres of leased premises of the Cochin Port Authority at Willingdon Island, Kochi. It will modernise and expand the existing ship repair capabilities of CSL and aspires to transform Kochi as a global ship repair hub and align with the Prime Minister’s vision of creating ship repair clusters in India.

The Indian Oil’s LPG Import Terminal at Puthuvypeen, Kochi, built at an investment of Rs 1,236 Crores, boasts a state-of-the-art infrastructure. It will significantly enhance India’s energy infrastructure by ensuring a steady supply of LPG, benefiting millions of households and businesses in and around the region. This project will further strengthen India’s efforts towards ensuring accessible and affordable energy for all, the release added.