SDHI to Complete Five Offshore Support Vessels for San Maritime
Swan Defence and Heavy Industries Limited (SDHI) has announced it will complete five offshore support vessels (OSVs) for Kakinada-based San Maritime India, marking a further step in the revival of the Pipavav shipyard.
San Maritime has begun docking the vessels at SDHI’s yard in Pipavav for completion under IR Class, after which the ships are expected to serve offshore industry demand.
The hulls were acquired by SDHI as part of its acquisition plan for Reliance Naval and Engineering Limited (RNEL) through India’s National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) process. They were subsequently acquired by San Maritime from SDHI.
Construction of the vessels had originally started under the previous ownership, and the revived shipyard will now complete the units.
SDHI said the completion of the five OSVs would strengthen Indian-flag tonnage and offshore capability, create maritime jobs and support local vendors and service providers within the shipbuilding ecosystem. The project aligns with the Government of India’s push to advance indigenous, self-reliant shipbuilding through financial assistance and incentive schemes.
Located on India’s west coast, the Pipavav yard operates what the company describes as the country’s largest dry dock, measuring 662 meters by 65 meters, along with a 340 meter by 60 meter wet basin and 1.2 kilometers of dedicated waterfront for berthing, docking and vessel launch.
SDHI, formerly known as Reliance Naval and Engineering Limited, has a fabrication capacity of 164,000 tonnes per year and positions itself as a key player in India’s shipbuilding and heavy fabrication sector.
