Move to develop indigenous shipbuilding, ministry orders only ‘Make in India’ tug boats

Tribune News Service
New Delhi, September 4

In order to promote the ship building industry in the country, the Ministry of Shipping has directed all major ports to procure or charter tug boats which are only made in the country and procurements being done by major ports would now need to be carried out as per the revised order. 

The ministry is also having discussions with some leading countries under the Make in India programme in shipbuilding.

Union Minister of State for Shipping Mansukh Mandaviya said that the government is taking 360 degree actions to revive old shipyards and promote shipbuilding in India.  

It is a step towards bolstering the revival of Indian ship building and a big move towards ‘Aatma Nirbhar Bharat’.

The government will try to create an ecosystem for shipbuilding, ship repair, ship recycling and flagging in India.  

‘Aatma Nirbhar’ shipping

 is going to be the order in the coming times, an official release said. Procurement/chartering of port crafts would need to be aligned with the revised Make in India order to promote shipbuilding in India. 

It is proposed to set up a Standing Specifications Committee under Managing Director, Indian Ports Association and comprising representatives from Cochin Ship Yard Limited, Shipping Corporation of India, Indian Register of Shipping and Director General of Shipping. 

Standing Specifications Committee would shortlist around five variants/types of tugs and prepare an ‘Approved Standardised Tug Design and Specifications’ (ASTDS). 

This ASTDS would outline specifications, general arrangements, basic calculations, basic structural drawings, key system drawings and other construction standards, etc.

These standards would be vetted by the Standing Specifications Committee and, thereafter, certified ‘in-principle’ by IRS and published by the Indian Ports Association on its website. 

The ministry will also provide some window to major ports so that construction time would be availed. 

Recently, government owned Cochin Shipyard Limited has been successful in securing the order for two automated vessels from Norwegian government. 

These will be the first of its kind unmanned vessels. Various decisions taken by the Ministry of Shipping will turn around ship building sector in the near future.