The Centre of Excellence in Maritime and Shipbuilding (CEMS) has inaugurated an extension centre at Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd. (GRSE), under GRSE’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative. The new centre was inaugurated at the GRSE Taratala unit by Cmde PR Hari IN (Retd.), Chairman & Managing Director, GRSE, in the presence of Mr. Saikat Roychowdhury, Head – Operations, Indian Register of Shipping (IRS), and Cdr Gopi Krishna Sivvam IN (Retd.), Chief Operating Officer, CEMS.
CEMS, established through a collaboration between the Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways (MoPSW) and IRS, is a specialised skill development initiative focused on building a future-ready workforce for India’s maritime sector. GRSE, a leading warship builder under the Ministry of Defence, has partnered with CEMS to deliver specialised training for youth as part of this initiative.
The centre, located at GRSE’s Technical Training Centre in Taratala, will offer a six-month Skill Development Programme covering four high-demand disciplines in marine technology—Welding, Electrical, Structural Fittings, and Pipe Fittings. The programme will train 100 candidates, combining three months of shop-floor learning with three months of on-the-job training at GRSE facilities, with the aim of ensuring direct industry placements.
“This partnership with GRSE marks an important step in our mission to bridge the skills gap in the maritime industry,” said Cdr Gopi Krishna Sivvam IN (Retd.), COO, CEMS. “By combining CEMS’ training expertise with GRSE’s strong industrial base, we aim to provide young professionals with practical, industry-relevant skills that will open doors to sustainable careers and strengthen India’s shipbuilding capabilities.”
The launch of the extension centre reinforces CEMS’ leadership in maritime skill development and underlines the shared commitment of CEMS and GRSE to nurturing skilled talent for India’s growing maritime economy.