Chowgule Steamship to construct Rs 25 cr drydock in Ratnagiri

Shipping company Chowgule Steamship plans to develop a Rs 25 crore dry dock facility at Lavgan in Ratnagiri district to cater to the requirements of small vessels, including coastal vessels, offshore supply vessels and Coast Guard ships.

"The company has got clearance from the Ministry of Environment and Forest for constructing this drydock which will have a ship repairing facility and a small jetty," a senior company official said here.

Chowgule Steamship has already acquired land for this drydock near Jaigad port and would take necessary approvals from the Maharashtra government.

The proposed drydock facility would be exclusively designed for small vessels plying on the sea route and will be capable of handling Coast Guard ships, he said.

"At present, there is no drydocking facility for small ships deployed in coastal shipping in the country. These vessels have to depend upon the drydocking facilities in Dubai or Colombo," he said.

Meanwhile, the company has evinced interest in developing the Jaigad port for handling four million tonne of cargo by constructing four berths and a dry dock.

According to company officials, this port would be developed on build, operate, own, share and transfer (BOOST) basis for a concession period of 50 years under the Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB).

"The company has not yet signed any concessional agreement with MMB for developing the Jaigad port yet. This project is delayed by over two years," he said.