Maersk and Cochin Shipyard Sign Strategic MoU to Boost India’s Maritime

A.P. Moller-Maersk and Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) have entered a strategic Memorandum of Understanding aimed at enhancing India’s role in the global maritime sector. This partnership is a significant milestone in achieving the country’s Vision 2047 maritime objectives. As the global shipping industry grapples with capacity constraints in ship repair facilities, this collaboration seeks to bolster CSL’s capabilities in containership maintenance, repair, and drydocking operations.

Strengthening India’s Maritime Infrastructure

The agreement comes at a pivotal time for the maritime industry. Leonardo Sonzio, Head of Fleet Management & Technology at A.P. Moller-Maersk, emphasized the importance of this collaboration. He stated, “As we witness unprecedented growth in global maritime trade, our collaboration with CSL represents our commitment to strengthening India’s maritime infrastructure.” The first Maersk vessel repair at CSL is scheduled for 2025, marking the start of a long-term partnership.

This initiative aligns with India’s recent announcement of a nearly $3 billion maritime development fund. This fund aims to provide long-term financing for the shipbuilding and repair industry, further supporting the partnership’s goals. Rajesh Gopalakrishnan, Executive Director of Cochin Shipyard Limited, highlighted the significance of this partnership, stating, “Combining Maersk’s global expertise with CSL’s capabilities would help position ourselves to capture a larger share of the global ship repair and building market.”

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The collaboration will include sharing technical expertise, exploring ship repair and building opportunities, and developing joint training programs. Initially, the focus will be on vessels up to 7,000 TEU for afloat repairs and up to 4,000 TEU for dry-docking, with plans for future capacity expansion. This partnership not only aims to enhance CSL’s operational capabilities but also supports India’s broader goal of becoming a world-class manufacturer by 2047.