Fabrication shop of CSL small ship division opened

The Union Shipping Secretary, Mr A.P.V.N. Sharma, has inaugurated the small ship division fabrication shop of Cochin Shipyard Ltd as part of its expansion plan for concurrent construction of commercial ships, together with the aircraft carrier for the Indian Navy. The project, which is nearing completion, involves an investment of Rs 98.63crore.
Addressing the function, Mr Sharma said the proposal of the yard to raise funds through investment IPO would be considered favourably, together with ESOP (employees stock option plan).
The fabrication shop is a large facility within the small ship division and can undertake around 1,000 tonnes of fabrication a month. It is serviced by three cranes, two 50 T EOT cranes and a 10 TEOT crane. The commissioning of this facility is a major step forward in completion of the small ship division project, a press release said.
Commodore M. Jithendran, Chairman and Managing Director of the shipyard, was present along with other directors and senior officials of the company.
The shipyard at present has orders for 18 small ships for various ship owners and an aircraft carrier from the Indian Navy.
Vallarpadam reviewed
The Shipping Secretary also reviewed the progress of construction of Vallarpadam International Container Transhipment Terminal and its connectivity projects at a meeting at Cochin Port Trust.
The Port Chairman, Mr N Ramachandran; Member Technical, National Highways Authority of India, Mr S.I. Patel; Chief General Manager, NHAI, Mr A.K. Mathur, were among those who attended the meeting, a port press release said.
The meeting reviewed the progress made by different agencies in implementing the terminal, rail and road connectivity and dredging of a navigational channel.
Mr Sharma urged NHAI to complete and make available at least two-lane connectivity to Vallarpadam by March 31 next year.
He also visited the transhipment terminal site, construction sites of the National Highway connectivity and Puthuvypeen Port based special economic zone, where construction of the LNG terminal is in progress.