Kolkata (December 31, 2025): As a mark of its commitment towards the "Make in India, Make for the World" vision, Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Ltd laid the keel for the second vessel of Multi-Purpose Vessel (MPV) project being executed for Germany’s Carsten Rehder Schiffsmakler and Reederei GmbH & Co. KG, on Monday, December 29, 2025.
This contract - the largest for MPVs in GRSE's history - is a testament to the shipyard's efforts towards diversification of products and expansion to the global commercial shipbuilding market.
The ceremony was graced by Shri M Venkatesh Murthy, Chief General Manager, CSB, GRSE, Shri Sujoy Chakravorty, Chief General Manager, Commercial, GRSE, in the presence of senior officials from GRSE and representatives from the German shipping firm & DNV.
The project involves the designing and building of modern series of high performance vessels under the CORAL 7500 DWT MPV series. The initial contract for four vessels was signed on June 22, 2024, followed by subsequent agreements bringing the total order to twelve vessels. The final contracts, including ninth to twelfth Hybrid Propulsion MPVs, were signed on September 19, 2025.
Each MPV will have an overall length of 120 metres and a beam of 17 metres, with a draught of 5.85 metres. With a capacity to carry 7,500 metric tonnes of cargo, these vessels are equipped with a single, large cargo hold designed for bulk, general and project cargoes. An innovative feature is the capability to carry containers on hatch covers and multiple large windmill blades on deck – enhancing flexibility in cargo handling.
The project is being developed in close collaboration with German firms including F.H. Bertling, ForestWave Navigation/Schulte & Bruns, and Delft Shipping. Technical design expertise has been provided by M/s SEDS, in partnership with GRSE. These ships shall be certified by DNV, the classification society.
About GRSE:
The journey of Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd., a Defence Public Sector Undertaking, under the administrative control of Ministry of Defence, and a Schedule ‘A’ Mini Ratna Category I company, dates back to 1884 when it started its journey as a small workshop to repair vessels of River Steam Navigation Company. The Company was taken over by the Government of India in 1960. GRSE has the distinction of becoming the first shipyard of independent India to build a warship for Indian Navy, the Seaward Defence Boat (SDB) INS Ajay, way back in 1961. GRSE also built the first ever Indian Export Warship “CGS Barracuda” for Govt. of Mauritius, a Fast Patrol Vessel “SCG PS Zoroaster” for Seychelles and an Ocean-Going Cargo & Passenger Ferry Vessel “MV Ma Lisha” for Cooperative Republic of Guyana. GRSE is the only Indian Shipbuilder to have four distinct shipyards as a unique infrastructure advantage. GRSE has built over 800 platforms, including 115 warships for Indian Navy, Indian Coast Guard, and friendly foreign countries - highest number of warships built & delivered by any Indian shipyard till date. From Frigates, Corvettes, Fleet Tankers, Landing Ship Tank, Landing Craft Utility to Survey Vessels, Offshore Patrol Vessels and Fast Attack Craft - the repertoire is rich and varied. In addition to shipbuilding & ship repair, GRSE has also diversified into engineering business with a product profile of pre-fabricated steel bridges, various deck machinery items and assembly, testing & overhauling of marine diesel engines and the manufacture of 30mm Naval Surface Guns. Noteworthy accolades include Defence Minister’s Award 2022 in Designing the most silent ship for Indian Navy for ASW operation, Defence Minister’s Award for Excellence for In-house Design Effort for Offshore Patrol Vessel for Government of Mauritius, CGS Barracuda, Best Performing Defence Shipyard of India for Four Years in a row. GRSE embraced infrastructure modernization over past decades and can undertake concurrent construction of 28 ships at a time. A strong team of highly skilled design engineers and state of art VR Lab & latest software aid in the in-house design capabilities. With proven credentials, the shipyard is on a growth path, reaffirming its motto “In Pursuit of Excellence and Quality in Shipbuilding.
