Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders
| File:MDL Logo.PNG | |
Native name | Marathiमझगांव डॉक लिमिटेड |
|---|---|
| Company type | Public Sector Undertaking |
| Industry | Shipbuilding |
| Founded | 1934[1] |
| Headquarters | , |
| Products | Naval ships; Submarines; offshore platforms; Tankers; Bulk carriers; Platform supply vessels; Patrol boats |
| Services | Ship design Ship building Ship repair |
| Divisions | Shipbuilding, Submarine & Heavy Engineering |
| Website | www.mazagondock.gov.in |
Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL) (Marathi-मझगांव डॉक लिमिटेड); IAST: Majhagānv Dawk Limiṭeḍ) is India’s prime shipyard. It manufactures warships and submarines for the Indian Navy, and offshore platforms and associated support vessels for offshore oil drilling.[1] It also builds tankers, cargo bulk carriers, passenger ships and ferries.
The shipyards of MDL were established in the 18th century. Ownership of the yards passed through various entities, including the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company and the British-India Steam Navigation Company. Eventually, Mazagon Dock Limited was registered as a public company in 1934. The shipyard was nationalised in 1960, and is now a Public Sector Undertaking of the Government of India.[1]
Activities
Rear Admiral R K Shravat, AVSM, IN (Retd) is the head of Mazagon Dock. The activities at the yard are shipbuilding, submarine building, and fabrication of offshore structures. It has manufacturing facilities situated at Mumbai and Nhava.
The yard has the capability to build warships, submarines, and merchant ships up to 30,000 Dead Weight Tons (DWT).[2] It can also fabricate well head platforms, process and production platforms and jack-up rigs for oil exploration.
Commercial projects
Offshore platforms
MDL builds offshore oil drilling platforms. It operates facilities at Alcock, Mumbai and at Nhava Yard for construction of platforms with wellhead, water injection and production separator and glycol process capabilities, as well as jackup rigs, SBMs and other offshore structures.[3]
Repair and maintenance jobs on offshore rigs are also undertaken at Alcock, Jackets up to 80 m length and 2200 T weight can be constructed. At Nhava, Jackets up to 80 m length and 2300 T weight, Main Decks up to 550 T weight and Helipads of 160 T weight.
The yard also builds specialist vessels with capability to clean oil spills and fight fires on offshore drilling platforms.
A welding training school develops and maintains welding techniques and procedures to acceptable standards and continuous updation of welding techniques.
Naval projects
Warships
Nilgiri class frigate
The first warship built by MDL was the 2,900-ton displacement, INS Nilgiri, the lead ship of her class. She was launched on 15 October 1966 and commissioned on 23 June 1972. Five more frigates of this class were built over the next nine years for the Indian Navy.[4]
Godavari class frigate
While construction of the Nilgiri-class was being completed, the Indian Navy proposed requirements for an indigenously designed and built frigate. This new frigate was to be of wholly Indian design and manufacture. To address these requirements, MDL designed and built the Godavari class guided-missile frigates with a 3800 tons displacement, and ability to embark two helicopters. Three ships of the class were built by MDL - the lead ship, INS Godavari, the INS Ganga and INS Gomati.[5]
Khukri class corvettes
MDL designed and built the first two vessels of the Khukri class corvettes for the Indian Navy. The lead vessel of the class was commissioned on 23 August 1989, and the second, INS Kuthar, on 7 June 1990. The remainder of the class were built at Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) following a transfer of technology from MDL, in order to diversify warship building capabilities to other yards, as well as to make room at MDL for the larger projects to follow.[6]
Delhi class destroyers
The next class of vessels designed and built by MDL were the Project-15 Delhi class guided-missile destroyers. These were powered by gas turbines and displaced 6,200 tonnes. The first of the class, INS Delhi, was launched in February 1991 and commissioned on 15 November 1997. The second, INS Mysore, was commissioned on 2 June 1999 followed by the last ship in the series, INS Mumbai, on 22 January 2001.[7]
Shivalik class frigates
The 6000 tons Shivalik class (Project-17) frigates are the first warships with stealth features to be designed and built in India. These multi-role, guided-missile frigates have reduced radar signature and are due to enter service starting in 2010. At least 3 of this class are under construction at MDL. The lead vessel of the class commissioned on 29 April 2010.
Kolkata class destroyers
Kolkata class vessels are the next-generation of guided-missile destroyers in the 6,800 tonnes range to be designed and built at MDL. They incorporate stealth features. The lead vessel of the class was launched on 30 March 2006. At least three vessels of the class are planned.
Coast Guard vessels
The yard also builds Offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) for the Indian Coast Guard. These vessels are specialised ships built for patrolling, policing, search and rescue operations in India's Exclusive Economic Zone. Each of these ships carries a helicopter on board. Seven such ships have been delivered to the Coast Guard.
Floating police stations
Based on the order by the BSF the yard started construction of floating Border Out Posts (BOPs). Essentially these BOPs are floating police stations, each with four high-speed boats. The yard has delivered 9 out of an order of 14 BOPs.
Other vessels
Among other ships, the yard has built three fast missile boats, a cadet training ship, and various other utility ships for the Indian Navy.
Submarines
Shishumar class submarine
The Shishumar class submarines are a variant of the Type 209 diesel-electric submarine designed by Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft. Two vessels of this class were constructed at MDL. These were the first two indigenously built submarines in India. INS Shalki was commissioned on 7 February 1992 and INS Shankul was commissioned on 28 May 1994.
Scorpène class submarine
MDL is building six diesel-electric submarines of the Scorpène class under a technology-transfer agreement with DCNS.
See also
References
- ^ a b c Introduction Mazagon Docks Ltd
- ^ "Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited - Ship Builder to the Nation".
- ^ [1] Archived 2008-11-04 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "F 33 Nilgiri Class". Global Security.org. Retrieved 2006-12-08.
- ^ "F 20 Godavari Class Frigate". Global Security.org. Retrieved 2006-12-08.
- ^ "P 49 Khukri Class". Global Security.org. Retrieved 2006-12-08.
- ^ "D Delhi Class Destroyer". Global Security.org. Retrieved 2006-12-08.