A.P. Moller-Maersk has begun its first planned drydocking operation in India with the arrival of the Singapore-flagged container vessel Maersk Chattogram at Larsen & Toubro’s Kattupalli Shipyard near Chennai. The vessel reached Kattupalli Port on 18 October, marking the first operational outcome of a cooperation framework between Maersk and Larsen & Toubro.

The 186-metre container ship will undergo comprehensive 10-year planned maintenance at the facility. The work includes a scheduled special survey of the hull, machinery, equipment and propulsion systems, forming part of the vessel’s long-term maintenance programme.

L&T Shipbuilding will use the Kattupalli facility’s shiplift system, described as India’s largest, to raise the vessel clear of the water during the repair operation. The maintenance is intended to support the ship’s safety, seaworthiness and operational performance for the next five years.

The project follows a memorandum of understanding signed by Maersk and Larsen & Toubro during India Maritime Week 2025. The agreement established cooperation in shipbuilding, ship repair and knowledge exchange, with a focus on global standards and maritime capabilities.

Maersk’s fleet operations team said the drydocking would apply the company’s global technical requirements while drawing on India’s expanding shipyard and maritime-services capabilities. The operation also gives Kattupalli an opportunity to demonstrate its capacity to handle scheduled maintenance for an international container shipping operator.

The arrival comes as India seeks to strengthen its ship repair and maritime infrastructure. By undertaking the vessel’s special survey and associated maintenance locally, the project is expected to contribute to the development of domestic technical expertise and reinforce cooperation between the global shipping company and the Indian shipbuilding sector.