Comments
Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL) is one step closer to building LNG ships, having received certification from GTT for an LNG carrier containment system — the first Indian yard to get it. The licence will be officially given on December 21 at a function in New Delhi.
GTT is a France-based engineering company that specialises in the design of membrane containment systems for the maritime transport and storage of LNG.
CSL Chairman and Managing Director Commodore (retd) K Subramaniam told BusinessLine that there are two proven gas containment systems for LNG carriers — the membrane technology from GTT, and spherical tanks from Norway-based Moss.
About 90 per cent of the ships being built the world over now are based on the GTT system.
Competitive edgeCSL had deputed its employees for training at GTT as well as Korea’s Samsung Heavy Industries, the leading global builders of LNG carriers.
The public sector company has the technical strength and basic shipbuilding capability to undertake construction of these complex vessels, said Subramaniam, adding that entering the LNG carrier technology area would give the yard a competitive advantage over other yards in the region.
Cochin Shipyard, he said, is keen to participate in the tender to construct three LNG ships for GAIL, as the latter has contracted substantial LNG from the US, to be shipped out over 20 years.
The requirement is for nine ships, and the Centre is keen to build three vessels locally as part of Make in India programme.
Each of these vessels will cost about $200-220 million.
Complex vesselsAccording to Subramaniam, LNG vessels are very complex ships and only a few yards are in the business of building them.
The shipbuilding segment is monopolised by the Koreans, who enjoy an 85 per cent market share. Japan has an about 6-7 per cent market share but mainly of the Moss type of containment system.
Elsewhere, a few LNG vessels are built in China, France and Spain.
CSL was the only domestic yard to seek the GTT certification, as the two private sector yards in the country opted out of the race, he added.
Asked how equipped CSL is to start LNG ship construction, he said: “We have to build a dry dock 320 m long and 13 m deep. The new facility at an investment of ₹1,500 crore is expected to be ready by December 2018.”
Comments
COMMENT NOW
Comments
Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.
We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of TheHindu Businessline and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.