Kolkata, February 23 – In line with the Union government's vision of developing India into a global shipbuilding hub, Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Limited – a Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) under the Ministry of Defence – laid the foundation for the third multi-purpose vessel (MPV) it is building for Germany's Carsten Rehder Schiffsmakler and Reederei GmbH & Co. KG, on Monday.
GRSE is building 12 MPVs for this client.
While the shipyard's main focus remains on warship construction, it has also diversified into commercial shipbuilding, under the Union government's "Make in India, Make for the World" vision.
This is the largest order for commercial vessels that the company has received so far.
The ceremony on Monday was attended by senior GRSE officials, as well as representatives from Carsten Rehder Schiffsmakler and Reederei GmbH & Co. KG.
The project involves the design and construction of a modern series of high-performance vessels under the CORAL 7500 DWT MPV series, which is being developed as a collaborative initiative between GRSE and Germany's Carsten Rehder.
The initial contract for four vessels was signed on June 22, 2024, followed by subsequent agreements that brought the total order to twelve vessels.
The final contracts, including the 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 draft 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.
A key feature of the design is the ability to carry containers on hatch covers and multiple large windmill blades on deck, thereby enhancing operational flexibility.
The project is being developed in close collaboration with German firms, including F.H. Bertling, ForestWave Navigation/Schulte and Bruns, and Delft Shipping.
Technical design expertise has been provided by Students for the Exploration and Development of Space (SEDS), in partnership with GRSE.
These ships will be certified by the classification society – Det Norske Veritas.
