Cochin Shipyard (CSL) has taken a major step towards Atmanirbhar Bharat by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (HD KSOE) for long-term strategic collaboration in shipbuilding. The MoU was exchanged during the landmark event “Samudra se Samriddhi – Transforming India’s Maritime Sector”, inaugurated by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on 20th September 2025 at Bhavnagar, Gujarat.

Union Minister of Port, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal, Union Minister of State Shantanu Thakur, Jung Changin, Senior VP of Hyundai, and Madhu S Nair, CMD of CSL, were present for the signing.

The partnership combines CSL’s legacy, domestic expertise, and infrastructure with HD KSOE’s advanced technology and global experience, enhancing India’s shipbuilding capabilities. Under the MoU:

 CSL’s 310-meter new dry dock, inaugurated in January 2024, will construct Suezmax tankers, container ships, and Capesize bulk carriers, with an annual capacity of up to six vessels.

 A dedicated Block Fabrication Facility (BFF) is planned at Kochi on ~80 acre, with 1,20,000 MT annual capacity and an investment of Rs 37 billion, expected to create 2,000 direct jobs and several thousand indirect employment opportunities.

 The collaboration will also focus on joint execution of projects at CSL’s existing facilities, greenfield shipyards, skill development, and next-generation vessel production.

The initiative aligns with national visions like Maritime India Vision 2030 and Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047, reinforcing India’s ambition to become a global shipbuilding hub.

CSL also signed a second MoU with Guidance, Tamil Nadu’s nodal agency, to develop shipbuilding clusters. As part of a long-term growth plan, CSL is considering a Rs 150 billion greenfield investment in Tamil Nadu, potentially creating 10,000 jobs and including a modern ship repair facility.

News source: PIB