DCIL, CSL sign pact to build special dredger

Visakhapatnam: In a shot in the arm to 'Make in India' mission, the Visakhapatnam-headquartered Dredging Corporation of India Limited on Thursday signed a contract for construction of a 12,000 cubic metre capacity trailer suction hopper dredger (TSHD) for Euro 104 million.

The fund required will be met through equity from Cochin Shipyard Limited, four major port authorities of Visakhapatnam Port, Paradip Port, Deendayal Port and Jawaharlal Nehru Port and bank loan. A consortium comprising the four major ports has majority equity in DCIL as part of strategic disinvestment. The contract signing in New Delhi was preceded by an MoU entered into by DCIL and Cochin Shipyard for building the first dredger in the series of four such dredgers with technical and design support from Royal IHC of Holland.

The Dutch company specialises in develop[ment, design and construction of ships required for the dredging and offshore industries.

Sarbananda Sonowal, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways and Union Minister State for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Shripad Naik along with Marten Vande Berg, Netherlands Ambassador, Sanjeev Ranjan, Secretary, Ports, Shipping and Waterways, were present at the contract signing ceremony for the first Beagle 12 dredger, considered the first of its kind under Make in India project.