GRSE Partners with German Company to Build Multi-Purpose Ships

Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Ltd, a major Indian defence sector company, has partnered with Germany’s Carsten Rehder Schiffsmakler and Reederei GmbH and Co. KG to build four multi-purpose vessels, with an option for four more. These ships will be 120 meters long, 17 meters wide, and can carry 7,500 metric tonnes of cargo. GRSE has a history of exporting warships and recently delivered an advanced ferry to Guyana.

Details of the Partnership

The new vessels will be 120 meters long and 17 meters wide, with a maximum draft of 6.75 meters. Each ship can carry 7,500 metric tonnes of cargo and will have a single cargo hold to accommodate bulk, general, and project cargoes. Containers will be carried on hatch covers, and the ships are designed to carry multiple large windmill blades on deck.

GRSE’s History and Achievements

GRSE, under the Ministry of Defence, has been a significant player in warship exports. In 2014, it exported the Offshore Patrol Vessel CGS Barracuda to Mauritius, marking India’s first warship export. In 2021, the Fast Patrol Vessel PS Zoroaster was exported to the Seychelles. GRSE is also working on six patrol boats and a TSH dredger for Bangladesh. In 2023, it delivered the MV Ma Lisha, an advanced ferry, to Guyana.

Company Background

Founded in 1884, GRSE started as a small workshop for repairing vessels. It was taken over by the Indian government in 1960 and built the first warship for the Indian Navy, INS Ajay, in 1961. GRSE was awarded ‘Miniratna’ Category I status in 2006 and has built over 790 platforms, including 109 warships for the Indian Navy, Coast Guard, and friendly foreign countries.