On October 26, Udupi Cochin Shipyard Limited (UCSL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cochin Shipyard in India, launched the “Wilson Energy I,” the first of eight 6,300 DWT bulk carriers being built for the Norwegian company Wilson ASA.
The “Wilson Energy I” is 99.99 meters long, 15.85 meters wide, and has a designed draft of 6.5 meters. Designed by the Dutch company Conoship, it will be equipped with an environmentally friendly diesel-electric propulsion system and will be used to transport general cargo in European coastal waters. This is the largest vessel built at the Cochin Shipyard since it resumed operations in 2021.
Designed with an optimized hull form and a large-diameter propeller, the vessel is capable of adapting to future changes in fuel types and is also prepared for wind-assisted propulsion.
Currently, construction of the second vessel in this series is underway; the keel of the third vessel has been laid; and steel cutting for the fourth vessel has been completed. All eight vessels are expected to be delivered by September 2028.
Headquartered in Bergen, Norway, Wilson ASA is a leading operator of short-sea shipping fleets in Europe, transporting approximately 15 million tons of dry cargo across Europe. The company owns a fleet of about 130 vessels, with deadweight tonnage ranging from 1,500 to 8,500 tons.