Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd. (GRSE), a Navratna Defence Public Sector Undertaking under the Ministry of Defence, Government of India, has achieved another milestone in its commercial shipbuilding programme with the keel-laying ceremony of the fifth Multi-Purpose Vessel (MPV) being built for Germany’s Carsten Rehder Schiffsmakler and Reederei GmbH & Co. KG.
The ceremony was held on Thursday, October 29, 2026, marking steady progress in one of GRSE’s largest commercial shipbuilding export projects and reinforcing the shipyard’s commitment to the Government of India’s vision of ‘Make in India, Make for the World’.
The MPV project represents the largest commercial shipbuilding export order secured by GRSE, highlighting the shipyard’s growing capabilities in the international commercial shipbuilding market. It also reflects GRSE’s strategic focus on diversifying its business portfolio and strengthening its position in the global maritime sector.
Senior officials from GRSE, Carsten Rehder and classification society DNV attended the keel-laying ceremony.
The overall project involves the design and construction of 12 CORAL 7500 DWT Multi-Purpose Vessels, developed through collaboration between GRSE and Germany’s Carsten Rehder. The first contract, signed in June 2024, covered four vessels, while a second contract signed in October 2024 covered another four MPVs. The fifth vessel is the first to be constructed under this second contract.
A third contract, signed in September 2025, covers four additional MPVs featuring hybrid propulsion systems, taking the total order to 12 vessels.
Each vessel will measure 120 metres in length, with a beam of 17 metres and a draught of 5.85 metres, and will have a deadweight capacity of 7,500 tonnes. Designed for operational versatility, the vessels will feature large cargo holds capable of accommodating bulk, general and project cargo.
The vessels will also be equipped to carry containers on hatch covers and multiple wind turbine blades on deck, offering flexibility to handle diverse cargo transportation requirements.
The project is being developed in collaboration with leading German maritime companies, including F.H. Bertling, ForestWave Navigation/Schulte & Bruns, and Delft Shipping. Technical design support is being provided by SEDS in association with GRSE, while DNV will undertake the classification and certification of the vessels.
The successful execution of the project is expected to further enhance GRSE’s credentials as an international commercial shipbuilder, demonstrating India’s growing ability to design and build sophisticated vessels for global customers.