SOURCE: AFI
Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) has released a new image showcasing the significant progress made on its colossal new dry dock. This state-of-the-art facility is rapidly approaching completion, poised to become a game-changer for India’s shipbuilding and ship repair capabilities.
A key aspect of the project’s progress involves the installation and commissioning of a massive 600-ton gantry crane. This powerful crane will be instrumental in handling the large vessels the dry dock is designed to accommodate.
CSL anticipates the new dry dock to be fully operational by August 2024, upon the finalization of the gantry crane installation and commissioning. The core civil works for the dry dock, including the dock floor, dock wall, caisson gate, pump house, and sub-stations, have already been successfully completed. The official inauguration by the Prime Minister in January 2024 marked a significant milestone for the project.
With its impressive dimensions of 310 meters long, 75/60 meters wide, and 13 meters deep, the new dry dock will be the largest in India. This “stepped dry dock” design offers additional flexibility to accommodate a wider range of vessels.
The dry dock is built to last, boasting a design life of 100 years. This ensures that CSL will be able to leverage this critical infrastructure for generations to come.
The new dry dock’s exceptional size and capabilities make it suitable for servicing a diverse range of vessels. These include Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) vessels, aircraft carriers, jack-up rigs, drill ships, large tankers, and merchant vessels, with a draft (depth submerged) of up to 9.5 meters.