Union Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari on Friday said he had received an assurance from Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar that the public sector Cochin Shipyard (CSL), presently constructing the first indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant for the Navy, would be given more orders for warship construction in the next five years.
“During the discussions I had with Mr. Parrikar while travelling to Goa the other day, he assured me of more defence orders for the Cochin Shipyard in the coming five years,” said Mr. Gadkari after dedicating to the nation the buoy tender vessel m.v. Indira Point, constructed by the CSL for the Directorate General of Light Houses and Light Ships. The vessel, built at a cost of Rs.160 crore, was delivered two months ahead of schedule. Commending the yard for quick delivery of top quality hi-tech vessels, Mr. Gadkari said the Andaman and Nicobar administration was likely to give the yard orders for passenger vessels of varying capacity. “The Shipping Corporation of India will also place orders with the CSL for five to six vessels. In the meantime, we want the yard to increase productivity and create more employment opportunities,” he said.
Mr. Gadkari raised the ‘Make In India’ pitch saying while there was no dearth of technology, skill or infrastructure at the yard; it just needed to be more ambitious and confident and should source spares and equipment from Indian firms.
The yard would do well to capitalise on its capability to design and build catamaran hovercraft and seaplanes which had a huge market.
Inland waterway transport was an area it could focus on. The Ministry, he said, would want the yard to expand its footprint globally and to other parts of India. Kandla Port and the Andaman and Nicobar administration had offered the CSL land for setting up its outstation maintenance and repair facility.
Mr. Gadkari said while his Ministry wanted to make long-term investment in the yard’s infrastructure and capacity augmentation, capital would also be raised from the market to fuel its growth.
