SHI to Share LNG Construction Technology with Cochin

India’s Cochin Shipyard Ltd has entered into a deal with South Korean shipbuilder Samsung Heavy Industries Co. Ltd on exchanging technology for construction of planned liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers for the country’s gas utility Gail.

“Cochin Shipyard has signed an agreement with Samsung Heavy Industries to collaborate on building LNG ships,” Indian financial daily Live Mint cited a shipping ministry official as saying.

Neither CSL nor SHI replied yet to emails sent by World Maritime News seeking comment.

Cochin expressed interest in building the said vessels in August last year. However, Cochin, like the majority of local shipbuilders, lack the necessary know-how and experience in building these sophisticated ships, and will probably have to outsource for the purpose.

Potential bidder could also be L&T Shipbuilding Ltd, a unit of Larsen and Toubro Ltd, (L&T Ltd) which has partnered up with South Korea’s Hyundai Heavy Industries on the project.

Gail India Ltd is about to issue a new tender for the construction of nine LNG carriers which is expected to facilitate the bidding process and remove hurdles that have prolonged the project.

The previous tender has been scrapped after it failed to attract bidders. The initial plan envisaged for the third of the newbuilds to be built locally so as to boost Indian shipbuilding capabilities.

However, it seems that this very precondition turned away international bidders as they were not that eager to share their technology with local builders.

In order for Gail to be able to start its import activities from USA to India in 2017, the tender should be finalized and awarded by May.

World Maritime News Staff