Kolkata: Aimed developing dynamic partnership in exploring new business opportunities in the areas of ship repair and refit, Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Ltd-Khidderpore Dry Dock (GRSE-KDD) unit was unveiled here on Wednesday. The unit was jointly inaugurated by Vinit Kumar, Chairman, Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, Kolkata (SMP) and Rear Admiral VK Saxena (Retd), Chairman and Managing Director, GRSE.
This comes as part of a concession agreement signed between GRSE, a Mini Ratna Category-I defence PSU and a leading warship building company of India, and SMP, Kolkata, on October 7 in the presence of Sarbananda Sonowal, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, towards development and utilisation of three existing dry docks of Khidderpore, Kolkata.
Under the agreement, both GRSE and SMP, Kolkata shall look forward towards developing a dynamic partnership in exploring new business opportunities in ship repair and refit of defence and commercial segments, leading to revenue generation and contributing to skill development, infrastructure upgrade and employment generation in Kolkata.
GRSE CMD said that as part of the investment promotional activity of maritime India, this agreement aims to play a significant role towards growth plans for both the organisations and effective utilisation of the three existing docks at SMP, Kolkata.
He said the close proximity of GRSE with SMPK is an enhancer to the successful take off of this project as approximately 400 vessels operate in the Hooghly river and on the Indo-Bangladesh shipping route. Also, authorities handling smaller vessels may prefer to have dry docks in close proximity to their operational area.
He added that GRSE’s proven expertise in carrying out construction, conversion and repair of over 4000 naval and merchant vessels during 2nd World War and building 788 platforms including 107 warships till date are the testimonies to the success of this new collaboration.
Highlighting the importance of the newly formed GRSE-KPDD unit, Vinit Kumar, Chairman, SMPK, said the collaboration between GRSE and SMPK aims to provide prospects for ship repair business in the eastern region considering the large number of inland vessels operating in this shipping route.
“This alliance also shapes a new dimension towards revenue generation, development and perennial relationship with SMPK and GRSE’s expertise in the shipbuilding and design arena gives it an edge over other players in the industry,” he said.
Kumar further stated that at Netaji Subhas Dock (NSD) of KDS, SMPK, Cochin Kolkata Ship Repair Unit (CKSRU), a unit of Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), is already maintaining dry docks facilities operational since 2019 in a befitting manner.
Kumar said that for proper and efficient functions, the ship repair ecosystem is now revived in a proper way at Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, Kolkata. The project envisages upgrading, operating and managing the infrastructural facilities at these docks towards their effective utilization. /BI/
