Kolkata, Feb 23 (IANS) In keeping with the Union government’s vision to develop India into a global shipbuilding hub, Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Limited — a Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) under the Ministry of Defence — on Monday, laid the foundation for the third multi-purpose vessel (MPV) it is building for Germany’s Carsten Rehder Schiffsmakler and Reederei GmbH & Co. KG.
GRSE is building 12 MPVs for this client.
While the shipyard’s mainstay continues to remain warship building, it has also diversified into commercial shipbuilding, under the Union government’s “Make in India, Make for the World” vision.
This is the largest order for commercial vessels it has received so far.
Monday’s ceremony was attended by senior GRSE officials, as well as those from Carsten Rehder Schiffsmakler and Reederei GmbH & Co. KG.
The project involves the designing and building of a modern series of high-performance vessels under the CORAL 7500 DWT MPV series, being developed as a collaborative initiative between GRSE and Germany’s Carsten Rehder.
The initial contract for four vessels was signed on June 22, 2024, followed by subsequent agreements bringing the total order to twelve vessels.
The final contracts, including ninth to twelfth Hybrid Propulsion MPVs, were signed on September 19, 2025.
Each MPV will have an overall length of 120 metres and a beam of 17 metres, with a draught of 5.85 metres.
With a capacity to carry 7,500 metric tonnes of cargo, these vessels are equipped with a single, large cargo hold designed for bulk, general and project cargoes.
A key feature of the design is the capability to carry containers on hatch covers and multiple large windmill blades on deck, thereby enhancing operational flexibility.
The project is being developed in close collaboration with German firms, including F.H. Bertling, ForestWave Navigation/Schulte and Bruns, and Delft Shipping.
Technical design expertise has been provided by Students for the Exploration and Development of Space (SEDS), in partnership with GRSE.
These ships would be certified by the classification society — Det Norske Veritas.
–IANS
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