MAZAGON Dock Shipbuilders Ltd (MDL), a defence PSU, will invest around Rs 27,000 crore to establish a greenfield shipbuilding cluster at Dighi Port in Maharashtra’s Raigad district, a move that is expected to generate 90,000 jobs, the State Governmentsaid on Tuesday. MDL signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with National Shipbuilding and Heavy Industries Park Maharashtra Ltd (NSHIPML) for the mega project in the presence of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis here, an official release said. As per the agreement, the premier defence PSU has set a target of achieving an annual shipbuilding capacity of at least 2 million gross tonnes at Dighi. The project, with a proposed investment of Rs 27,000 crore, will enable construction of large commercial vessels and strengthen the Country’s maritime industrial capabilities, it said. The greenfield shipbuilding cluster is being developed jointly by the Maharashtra Maritime Board and the Mumbai Port Authority through NSHIPML, a special-purpose company established for the project The venture is being taken forwardunder the Centre’s Greenfield Shipbuilding Cluster Development Plan and is expected to complement the objectives of the Maritime Amrit KaalVision 2047. According to the release, the Dighi project will create modern shipbuilding infrastructure and an industrial and supply chain ecosystem to support the sector. It is expected to boost domestic shipbuilding capacity, attract technology and investment, create skilled employment and enhance India’s competitiveness in the global maritime sector. The proposed shipyard, India’s largest, will be developed jointly by the Centre and the State Government.

 

It will manufacture both warships and commercial ships, besides undertaking shipbuilding, shipbreaking, ship recycling and ship repair activities, Fadnavis said. The project is expected to generate direct employment for around 15,000 people and indirect jobs for 75,000 people, the CM maintained. “The Centre and the State Governmenttogether will create the country’s biggest shipyard, where both warships and commercial ships will be manufactured,” Fadnavis stated. The CM informed that the project would help Maharashtra create around 40 per cent of the shipbuilding capacity envisaged under the country’s maritime development plans. “This is a very big agreement for Konkan (coastal region where Dighi is located) and Maharashtra,” Fadnavis said, while congratulating his cabinet colleague Nitesh Rane, who holds the ports portfolio. For making special efforts for the project the shipyard work will begin after all necessary permissions are obtained and the project is expected to take around three years for completion, the CM said. MDL Chairman and Managing Director Captain Jagmohan said the company would work towards creating a modern, globally competitive shipbuilding facility at Dighi with the cooperation of all stakeholders. Captain Jagmohan signed the MoU with NSHIPML Managing Director Pradeep P, the release said.