The Dredging Corporation of India (DCI) is setting ambitious goals, aiming to secure a spot among the world’s top five high-tech maritime companies, with significant support from Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL).
During a recent event on Saturday, October 18, M. Angamuthu, DCI chairman, announced plans to acquire two additional dredgers from CSL. He also requested CSL’s expertise in providing technical training for critical dredging operations in India’s reservoirs and canals.
Mr. Angamuthu’s remarks came as CSL officially handed over a new Trailing Suction Hopper Dredger (TSHD), the DCI Dredge Godavari, to DCI. This impressive vessel, developed in partnership with Royal IHC, Netherlands, is celebrated as the largest TSHD ever constructed in India. CSL also delivered two other significant vessels during the event.
“Currently, DCI manages nearly 60 million cubic meters of the 120 million cubic meters dredged nationwide,” Mr. Angamuthu explained. “Our ambition is to surpass 100 million cubic meters soon, and this new 12,000 cubic meter capacity dredger from CSL is a major milestone for DCI. We are committed to becoming a global leader in dredging, which is why we plan to order two more dredgers from CSL. While we primarily focus on maintenance dredging now, we are actively preparing to expand into capital dredging operations in the near future.”
Additionally, the event showcased the launch of two other cutting-edge vessels: an Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW SWC) and an innovative Hybrid Electric Methanol-Ready Commissioning Service Operation Vessel (CSOV).