Larsen & Toubro Ltd plans to invest Rs 1,000 crore in its shipbuilding complex at Katupalli, Tamil Nadu, as per media reports.
The company is taking up this move to reach its intended production capacity.
In 2009, the facility had received Environment Clearance and Coastal Regulation Zone clearance to annually produce 50,000 tonnes per annum for modular fabrication facility (MFF) and permission for 25 ship buildings and 60 ship repairs. However, with the existing infrastructure, the company is unable to reach these intended capacities/quantities. The company intends to take up further development works at Kattupalli, as per reports citing company documents.
The above-cited document also mentioned that the planned facilities will help L&T to reach its intended production capacity of 50,000 tonnes per annum for MFF as well as construction and repair of 25 and 60 ships per annum, respectively.
Development of new facilities are likely to start in October and be completed in three years, according to the document.
The development works will be taken up within the 892.11 acre area already belonging to L&T. The proposed development will involve setting up of additional shops, fabrication units, paint shops, assembly shops, blasting shops, residential accommodation buildings, office buildings, warehouse sheds, skill development centre, landscaping/greenbelt development, the mentioned document said.
Presently, L&T’s Katupalli shipbuilding facility takes up 30 ship repairs and construction of 15 new ships per annum.
Company officials did not respond to comments.
In 2019, this shipyard became the first Indian shipyard to achieve a five-star grading from Five Star Occupational Health and Safety Audit conducted by the British Safety Council, positioning it amongst a select few in the world.
L&T’s Katupalli facility in Tamil Nadu is located about 40 km north of Chennai. It is a greenfield shipyard having a a dedicated design centre for warships. This shipyard has multiple dry berths and wet berths that enable concurrent construction and repairs of multiple vessels, along with modular construction of ships, according to information on
the company website.
