HSL proposes greenfield shipyard in Andhra Pradesh to boost domestic shipbuilding capacity

In a strategic move to strengthen India's maritime self-reliance, Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) has proposed the establishment of a greenfield shipyard in Andhra Pradesh. The proposal, aligned with the Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047, aims to position the state as a leading maritime hub and address the nation's capacity constraints in shipbuilding.

HSL Chairman and Managing Director, Rear Admiral Chandrasekharan Raghuram, discussed the proposal during a meeting with Andhra Pradesh Governor S. Abdul Nazeer at the Raj Bhavan. The discussions centred on HSL's operational turnaround and expansion plans, with Machilipatnam in Krishna district and Dugarajapatnam in Tirupati district identified as potential locations for the new facility.

The domestic shipbuilding landscape is currently led by public sector undertakings along with a few private players. Major shipyards include Cochin Shipyard Limited (the largest facility in the country), Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (specialising in warships and submarines), Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers, and Goa Shipyard Limited. On the east coast, L&T Shipbuilding operates a major private facility at Kattupalli. HSL, established in 1941 in Visakhapatnam, remains the only defence public sector shipyard on the eastern seaboard.

India currently accounts for less than 1% of global shipbuilding output. Under the Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047, the Union government aims to propel India into the top five shipbuilding nations globally by scaling up domestic capacity to 4.5 million gross tonnage. With nearly 95% of India's trading cargo by volume carried on foreign-flagged vessels, expanding domestic commercial shipping is critical to saving foreign exchange. This goal requires the creation of mega-scale shipbuilding clusters, modern infrastructure for green-energy vessels, and dedicated facilities for high-capacity fleet support ships. HSL sources said the proposed greenfield shipyard in Andhra Pradesh is designed to address these capacity constraints.

An HSL official confirmed to The Hindu that the proposal is part of the company's expansion and exploration plans as per the Centre's directives. The official noted that the greenfield shipyard remains a proposal at this stage.