Mumbai: Dredging Corporation of India Limited (DCIL) has signed 22 Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with 16 organisations worth ₹17,645 crore during the India Maritime Week 2025, held in Mumbai from 27 to 31 October. The agreements aim to strengthen India’s dredging capacity, promote indigenisation, and modernise operations under the government’s Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision.
DCIL functions under a consortium of four major ports — Visakhapatnam Port Authority, Paradip Port Authority, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority, and Deendayal Port Authority — all operating under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways.
The MoUs were signed with major ports and industry partners, including Visakhapatnam, Paradip, Jawaharlal Nehru, Deendayal, Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, Cochin, Chennai, and Mumbai ports, to meet dredging requirements over the next two to five years. Partnerships were also finalised with Cochin Shipyard for construction and repair of dredgers as part of the modernisation drive under Atmanirbhar Bharat.
Further collaborations include an MoU with NMDC Abu Dhabi to form a joint venture for enhancing operational efficiency and global competitiveness, and with Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML) for indigenisation of spares and inland dredger construction. Industry major IHC has partnered with DCIL to modernise the existing dredger fleet for better capacity utilisation.
An agreement was also signed with the National Technology Centre for Ports, Waterways & Coasts (NTCPWC), IIT Chennai, to form a joint venture for conducting bathymetry surveys and developing dredging training modules to prepare skilled manpower for future requirements. Other MoUs include partnerships with IOCL for uninterrupted fuel supply to DCI vessels and with Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) for dry docking and dredge repairs.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr M. Angamuthu, Chairman, Dredging Corporation of India Limited and Chairperson, Visakhapatnam Port Authority and Mumbai Port, expressed heartfelt gratitude to the Prime Minister and the Ministry for their visionary support. He stated that a landmark announcement was made by the Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji during the inauguration of India Maritime Week 2025, unveiling transformative initiatives under the Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision. “Among these, a major highlight was the Rs 4,000 crore investment dedicated to the modernization of Dredging Corporation of India Limited (DCIL) for the construction of 11 dredgers apart from upgradation, automation and development of skilled manpower.”
He added that the MoUs would help DCI continue catering to dredging requirements that serve as the lifeline for ports, while upgrading its existing fleet, indigenising spares, and supporting dredger construction under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative.
Capt S. Divakar, Managing Director and CEO (A/C), said DCI remains India’s leading dredging company and that these partnerships would strengthen its market presence and global outreach. “The modernisation roadmap will empower DCIL to execute complex dredging and reclamation projects with world-class precision,” he said.
He highlighted that DCI’s current dredging capacity is supported by a fleet of 10 Trailer Suction Hopper Dredgers (TSHDs) with a combined hopper capacity of around 60,000 cubic metres, handling nearly 50–60 million cubic metres of dredging annually — about 55 percent of India’s total requirement. “The addition of the new vessels would enable the company to increase its foothold in the market and reaffirm its position as market leader,” he added.
The MoUs were exchanged in the presence of Union Minister of State for Ports, Shipping & Waterways Shantanu Thakur, along with senior dignitaries from the Ministry, major ports, shipyards, and global maritime organisations.
The initiative aligns with the government’s long-term objectives under Maritime India Vision 2030 and Atmanirbhar Bharat 2047, reinforcing India’s leadership in maritime infrastructure and the blue economy.
BI Bureau
