India: L&T’s Kattupalli Shipyard on Track for Its First Delivery

The Kattupalli Shipyard, Larsen & Toubro’s (L&T) audacious expansion project, will be launching its first new-build ship by the beginning of the next financial year.

The ship forms part of an Rs 483 crore worth order placed in May by Qatar-based company for the design, construction and commissioning of two platform supply vessels and two anchor handling, towing, supply and support vessels, the Financial Chronicle reports

The 400,000 square meter yard will be engaged in constructing some of the ships ordered by the Defence Ministry, comprising 36 vessels for the Indian Coast Guard, whereas the remainder of the order will be built at the Hazira shipyard, one of the largest of its kind in South Asia.

“As time progresses, we will get many more orders that can be built at our Kattupalli shipyard,” said MV Kotwal, head of heavy engineering division and director on the board of L&T.

The product range of the shipyard includes construction of specialised vessels like FPSOs, topsides & jackets, drilling semi-submersibles, drill ships, LNG carriers, LPG vessels as well as defence vessels. The technology used by the shipyard is that of Mitsubishi, a joint venture partner of L&T in an agreement on sharing technology with respect to design, construction, retrofit and repair of vessels.

According to a senior L&T official, at the moment the shipyard is awaiting for the final go ahead for its minor container port, while everything else is already in place.

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Shipbuilding Tribune Staff, August 10, 2012; Image: larsentoubro