Cochin Shipyard (CSL) has shared a new image highlighting the substantial progress made on its enormous new dry dock. This cutting-edge facility is nearing completion and is set to revolutionize India's shipbuilding and ship repair capabilities.

A significant part of the project's advancement involves the installation and commissioning of a massive 600-tonne gantry crane. This powerful crane will be crucial for managing the large vessels that the dry dock is intended to accommodate.

CSL expects the new dry dock to be fully operational by August 2024, following the completion of the gantry crane installation and commissioning. The core civil works for the dry dock, such as the dock floor, dock wall, caisson gate, pump house, and sub-stations, have already been successfully finished. The Prime Minister?s official inauguration in January 2024 marked a significant milestone for the project.

With its impressive dimensions of 310 metres in length, 75/60 metres in width, and 13 metres in depth, the new dry dock will be the largest in India. This ?stepped dry dock? design offers additional flexibility to accommodate a wider variety of vessels.

The dry dock is designed to last, with a lifespan of 100 years, ensuring that CSL can utilize this critical infrastructure for many generations.

The exceptional size and capabilities of the new dry dock make it suitable for servicing a diverse range of vessels, including Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) vessels, aircraft carriers, jack-up rigs, drill ships, large tankers, and merchant vessels, with a draft (depth submerged) of up to 9.5 meters.