The Hindu Business Line : Mundra port to set up Rs 1,000-cr modern shipbuilding yard

THIS could be India's answer to the shipping industry demand for a modern shipbuilding yard in this part of the globe. True, India's inability to cope with the ongoing boom in the shipping industry that has seen the likes of China and Korea become shipbuilding hub for the world can never be reversed. But the first shipbuilding yard in almost 30 years, that too coming up in the private sector, hopes to make amends.

A start is being made with Mundra port deciding to set up a modern shipbuilding yard in the country - one that will disprove the theory that Indian yards take about four years to build a ship against less than half a year by other Asian yards. Also, existing yards in India can only build ships up to 1,10,000 DWT, an area where the Mundra yard hopes to make good.

The Rs 1,000-crore project has already been flagged off, and has identified the site with a 10-lakh sq ft back-up area.

Talking to Business Line, Mr Sanjay Gupta, CEO (Infrastructure), Adani Group, said the work would start by July-August, once monsoons get over. Maunsell Australia Pty Ltd has been selected for basic engineering and layout planning. The project will look for tie-ups - technical, financial or on the marketing front - only at a later stage, he said.

"We are planning a mix of land berths and wet berths, equipped with shiplift and fabrication and engineering workshops. The yard will also cater to the ship repairing requirements in a major way and will be looking to vessels from outside the country. Initially we are looking at a capex of Rs 1,000 crore," Mr Gupta said.

With almost no dates for shipbuilding on the international calendar available till 2008, and an equally tight schedule for ship repairs, Mundra port is looking to make an impact with an internationally competitive infrastructure of a scale that is not yet available in India.

The last time India built a shipbuilding yard of world class was the Cochin Shipyard Ltd, way back in 1976.

Work on 2nd berthing terminal begins

MUMBAI: Mundra port has commenced work on its second berthing terminal. The work that began in December 2004 has set a target of 18 months to get the terminal ready for use. Adani port is investing Rs 275 crore in this project.

As against the natural draft that was available in the first terminal that put Mundra on the global navigation map as among the few deepwater ports in the world, the second terminal will be a man-made berth.

The terminal site has undergone dredging to get a draft of 17.5 metres, where piling work is currently under way. The second terminal (known as T-2) will be 32-metre wide and will have a length of 450 metres.

The plan is to shift out all types of unconventional cargo from the first terminal, which then could be dedicated to such cargo that can be handled by way of the automated handling system.

Of late, the Mundra port has been deluged with all types of steel - plates, pipes and coils. The demand has been driven by companies such as Jindal Saw Pipes, Welspun and Man Industries that have set up 100 per cent EOUs near the port.

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