The public sector Cochin Shipyard on Thursday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Mumbai Port Trust for management and operation of ship repair facilities at the Mumbai Port.
According to the MoU, the Mumbai Port and the Cochin Shipyard will associate to utilise the Indira Dock facility at the Mumbai Port to set up a professional ship repair ecosystem that will be beneficial to India’s commercial and defence ship repair.
The MoU also provides for expansion of the ship repair capacity within the Indira Dock that may include setting up a floating dry dock and upgrading the existing facility at Hughes Dry Dock, thereby enhancing the existing ship repair capacity in the Mumbai area. “This will serve the increasing ship repair demands in the Mumbai area, being one of the key ports of India that connects internationally,” a note in this connection said.
Hughes Dry Dock at the Mumbai Port has an approximate size of 305 x 30 metres. Built in 1914, it is one of the largest graving dry docks on India’s western coast. The objective of the MoU is to develop a world-class integrated ship repair facility in Mumbai. With the MoU, the Cochin Shipyard is expected to provide end-to-end repair solutions to shipowners.
