All set to make its maiden foray into catamaran manufacturing, Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL) will build four such popular vessels, used for cruising and other purposes, for Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said.

This follows the State-owned company’s recent contract to build cryogenic carriers that transport natural gas frozen in liquid form after a pact with GTT France, the world leader in design and technology provider of containment systems for transportation of LNG.

“Cochin Shipyard is building four catamarans for Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The vessels would be ready in two to two-and-a-half years,” Road Transport, Highways and Shipping Minister Gadkari told PTI.

This is done under ‘Make in India’ drive, Gadkari said. The cost of the vessels, according to an official, is estimated at about ₹1,400 crore.

The move will not only ease transportation hardships faced by the people of Andaman and Nicobar but would also give a fillip to cruising in the area.

Shortage of ships

No new ships were acquired during the last 10 years by Andaman and Nicobar administration and the situation led to difficulties for passengers as well as tourists.

Gadkari said the vessels built at Cochin Shipyard would be of international standards. Catamarans are popular among charterers, cruisers, and even casual sailors and have a multi-hulled watercraft design, featuring two parallel hulls of equal size with much space.

Cochin Shipyard has secured shipbuilding orders from major companies from Europe and West Asia and is nominated to build the country’s first indigenous Air Defense Ship.

Seaplane proposal

Gadkari recently urged the US industrialists to invest in seaplanes in India, saying, “We want to encourage seaplanes. A small nation such as Maldives has a fleet of 47 seaplanes but India, despite having vast potential, has none. I urge industrialists from the US to come to India in the area.”

He said developing waterways would be a game changer for the Indian economy and the government was according top most priority to develop inland waterways comprising rivers, lakes, canals, creeks and backwaters which extend to about 14,500 km across the country.

Gadkari said a number of steps were taken to bring India among the league of advanced nations whose economy thrived on waterways development.

Despite waterways being a cleaner and cheaper mode of transportation, only 3.5 per cent of the cargo is transported through them in the country as against 44 per cent in Japan and Korea, 40 per cent in Europe and 47 per cent in China.

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