FCC

Cochin Shipyard and Drydocks World to Develop Ship Repair Clusters

2025-05-14

Cochin Shipyard (CSL), a Public Sector Enterprise under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Government of India, and Drydocks World, a DP World company, are strengthening their collaboration to boost India’s ship repair and offshore fabrication capabilities.

Building on the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed last month in Mumbai during the visit of HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, the partnership aims to bring global best practices to India’s maritime sector and expand capacity in line with the country's national goals.

The MoU was signed in the presence of His Excellency Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, Group Chairman and CEO of DP World, and Madhu S Nair, Chairman & Managing Director of Cochin Shipyard.

A high-level delegation from Drydocks World, led by Chief Executive Officer, Captain Rado Antolovic, visited CSL over two days from May 1 to 2, to discuss next steps. The team toured CSL’s Main Yard, the newly commissioned 310 metre Dry Dock, the International Ship Repair Facility (ISRF), and the Marine Engineering Training Institute in Kochi.

Madhu S Nair said: “We are happy to host the CEO and top leadership of Drydocks World at Cochin Shipyard. Their visit marks an important step in strengthening our collaboration under the MoU signed between us and we look forward to working together to unlock new opportunities in the ship repair domain."

Captain Rado Antolovic said, "We are pleased to strengthen our collaboration with Cochin Shipyard Limited to support the growth of India’s maritime industry. By combining our global expertise with CSL’s local strength, we are laying the foundation for a world-class ship repair and offshore fabrication ecosystem in India. This is a long-term commitment to foster innovation, generate skilled employment, and contribute to India’s vision for a self-reliant and globally competitive maritime sector by 2030 and beyond."

In-depth discussions with CSL’s senior leadership, led by CMD Madhu S Nair, focused on operationalising the MoU and identifying both immediate and long-term opportunities. The two sides aim to commence joint work at the ISRF in Kochi as a first step, with plans to expand collaboration across India.

The partnership is set to play a pivotal role in developing a world-class ship repair ecosystem to serve both domestic and international fleets. It will also bolster India’s offshore fabrication capabilities and support marine engineering training and skilling initiatives.

These efforts align with the Government of India’s Maritime India Vision 2030 and Amrit Kaal Vision 2047, which seek to position India as a global maritime hub with modern infrastructure, advanced technology, and a skilled workforce.