Udupi Cochin Shipyard Bags Rs 1,100 cr Order for Cargo Vessels

Kochi, Jun 28 (PTI) The Udupi Cochin Shipyard Limited (UCSL), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), has bagged a Rs 1,100 crore-worth international order for eight 6300 TDW dry cargo vessels.

CSL said it has won an international order from Wilson ASA, Norway, for the design and construction of four 6,300 TDW dry cargo vessels.

"An agreement has also been entered into for an additional four vessels of the same type, which will be formally contracted within September 19, 2024," a CSL release said.

CSL said the new order was a continuation of the contract awarded in June 2023 for the design and construction of six 3800 TDW dry cargo vessels, which are now at advanced levels of construction at the yard at Udupi in Karnataka.

"The vessel is of 100 meters length and has a deadweight of 6300 metric tonnes at a design draft of 6.5 metres. The vessels shall be designed by Conoship International, Netherlands, and shall be constructed as an environment-friendly diesel-electric vessel for the transport of general cargo in the coastal waters of Europe," CSL said.

It said the overall project of eight vessels was worth about Rs 1,100 crore and was to be executed by September 2028.

Wilson ASA, a company headquartered in Bergen, Norway, is the leading short-sea fleet operator in Europe and transports about 15 million tonnes of dry cargo across Europe, CSL said.

The company operates a fleet of around 130 vessels, ranging from 1500 to 8500 DWT.

Since the takeover of the yard by Cochin Shipyard Limited, UCSL has successfully delivered two 62T Bollard Pull Tugs to Ocean Sparkle Limited, an Adani Harbour Services Limited Company and one 70T Bollard Pull Tug to Polestar Maritime Limited, the first lot of the tugs with Approved Standard Tug Design & Specifications (ASTDS) promulgated by the Government of India for Indian Ports.

UCSL has also received further orders of four 70T Bollard Pull Tugs as repeat orders from Ocean Sparkle Limited (three) and Polestar Maritime Limited (one).