Indian design and manufacturing giant Larsen & Toubro (L&T) has announced plans to invest 10 billion rupees (approximately US$116 million) to expand its shipbuilding complex in Katupalli, Tamil Nadu, in order to release its full production capacity.
Larsen & Toubro stated that, according to the 2009 approval documents, the Katupalli shipyard’s modular manufacturing facility (MFF) has an annual production capacity of 50,000 tons, with an annual shipbuilding capacity of 25 ships and an annual ship repair capacity of 60 ships. However, the shipyard’s current infrastructure has not been fully developed to reach its full production capacity. Therefore, Larsen & Toubro has decided to invest in the expansion of the shipyard.
The expansion project will be carried out within the existing 892.11-acre planned area of Katupalli Shipyard in Tamil Nadu. The construction is scheduled to start in October 2025 and is expected to be completed within three years.
According to the plan, the expansion will include the construction of new manufacturing areas, coating and assembly workshops, a sandblasting workshop, employee dormitories, office buildings, warehouses, skill development center and landscaping improvements.
It is reported that the Katupalli Shipyard is about 40 kilometers away from Chennai. It is a green shipyard with a dedicated warship design center and multiple docks that can build and repair multiple ships at the same time. It also supports modular construction of ships. It can currently build 15 ships and repair about 30 ships each year.
Notably, in 2019, Katupalli Shipyard became the first shipyard in India to receive a five-star rating from the British Safety Council’s Occupational Health and Safety Audit.