Recently, the Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) conducted selection interviews for the top management position—Chairman and Managing Director (CMD)—at Kochin Shipyard, India’s largest state-owned shipyard. Only two candidates participated. After evaluation, the PESB determined that neither candidate met the qualification criteria for the position.
Currently, the positions of CMD at the Cochin Shipyard are vacant. Given that the selection process was unsuccessful, the PESB has recommended that a new recruitment process be initiated.
According to Indian media reports, the position of CMD is of critical importance to the Cochin Shipyard. As a key leadership role, the CMD is responsible for the overall coordination of the shipyard’s shipbuilding projects, defense contracts, and the development of strategic maritime infrastructure.
As India’s largest state-owned shipyard, Cochin Shipyard secured its first international order for ocean-going container ships in 2026, namely six 1,700 TEU liquefied natural gas (LNG) dual-fuel feeder container ships ordered by French shipping giant CMA CGM, with delivery expected between 2029 and 2031. Previously, in 2023, Cochin Shipyard made its debut in the container shipbuilding market through a shipbuilding contract with Dutch shipowner Samskip.
Currently, Cochin Shipyard is gradually expanding its capacity to take on more new ship orders. Large-scale projects already in operation include a new dry dock and international ship repair center, which will be completed in early 2024.
The new dry dock is a stepped-down structure, 310 meters long, 75/60 meters wide, 13 meters deep, and has a draft of 9.5 meters. It is capable of building LNG carriers, Cape-size and Suezmax vessels, oil drilling platforms, and semi-submersible platforms, and is equipped with a 600-ton Goliath gantry crane. Its design life is 100 years. The International Ship Repair Centre has a 6,000-ton ship lift, a transfer system, six workstations, and approximately 1,400 meters of berths, capable of simultaneously accommodating seven 130-meter-long vessels for repair, increasing India’s ship repair capabilities by approximately 25%.
The new stepped dock measures 310 meters in length, 75/60 meters in width and 13 meters in depth, with a draft of 9.5 meters. It is capable of constructing LNG carriers, Capesize vessels, Suezmax vessels, oil drilling platforms, semi-submersible platforms and other ship types, and is equipped with a 600-ton Goliath gantry crane, featuring a design service life of 100 years.
The International Ship Repair Center is furnished with a 6,000-ton ship lift, a transfer system, six working stations and berths of around 1,400 meters. It can accommodate seven vessels of 130 meters in length for repair simultaneously, and will raise India’s ship repair capacity by approximately 25%.
In addition, Cochin Shipyard is collaborating with HD Hyundai, South Korea’s largest shipbuilding group, to improve the shipbuilding capabilities and standards at Cochin Shipyard.
