Cochin Shipyard Limited's wholly-owned subsidiary Udupi-Cochin Shipyard announced the launch of the Series of Six 3800 TDW general cargo vessels being built for Norway's Wilson ASA. The vessel was launched by Martine Aamdal Bottheim, Minister Counsellor and Deputy Head of Mission at the Royal Norwegian Embassy, along with Wilson ASA Chief Financial Officer Einar Tornes and Cochin Shipyard's Chairman and MD Madhu S Nair, Cochin Shipyard Ltd said. Constructed as environment-friendly diesel-electric vessels for the transport of general cargo in the coastal waters of Europe, these vessels have a length of 89.43 metres, 13.2 metres breadth with a draft of 4.2 metres and have been designed by Conoship International of the Netherlands, it added. This launch underscores the CSL group's commitment to the "Atmanirbhar Bharat" initiative, as well as the "Make-in-India" and "Make for the World" programmes of the government, the company said in a statement. The Bergen (Norway)-headquartered company is a major short sea fleet operator in Europe and transports about 15 million tonnes of dry cargo across Europe. The company operates a fleet of around 130 vessels ranging from 1500 to 8500 DWT. CSL also said that Wilson ASA has further signed a follow-on order of 8 of these vessels in two batches, one in June and another one in September this year, totalling 14 vessels.Projects are under various stages of construction, it stated. "Udupi-Cochin Shipyard Ltd (UCSL) has established a strong foothold in the international shipbuilding market by building this finest vessel in collaboration with Conoship International for Wilson ASA. "Both Cochin Shipyard Limited and its subsidiary, Udupi Cochin Shipyard, continue to showcase their unwavering commitment to constructing high-quality ships for the Western European market," said Nair. The repeat orders from existing clients of Udupi-CSL underscore the trust and confidence that customers place in the yard's capabilities and excellence, he added. Udupi-CSL currently has an order book of more than Rs 1500 crore, CSL said. UCSL, since its takeover by Cochin Shipyard, has delivered two 62T Bollard Pull Tugs to Ocean Sparkle Limited, an Adani Harbor Services Limited company and two 70T Bollard Pull tugs to Polestar Maritime Limited, it added. Udupi-Cochin Shipyard Limited, previously Tebma Shipyards Limited, was acquired by Cochin Shipyard Limited in 2020 through an NCLT process, and the yard was turned around to a profit-making yard in a short period of three years.