Mazgaon Docks
Encyclopedia
Mazagon Dock Limited is India
’s prime shipyard
. It manufactures warships and submarine
s for the Indian Navy
, as well as offshore platforms and associated support vessels for offshore oil drilling. It also builds tanker
s, cargo bulk carrier
s and passenger ship
s and ferries.
The shipyards of MDL were established in the 18th century. These yards have over two centuries of experience in shipbuilding
. Ownership of the yards passed through various entities, including the P&O Lines and the British India Steam Navigation Company. Eventually, Mazagon Dock Limited was registered as a public company
in 1934. The shipyard was nationalized in 1960, and is now a PSU of the Government of India
.
and Nhava.
The yard has the capability to build warships, submarines, and merchant ships up to . It can also fabricate well head platforms, process and production platforms and jack up rigs for oil exploration.
, water injection
and production separator and glycol process capabilities, as well as jackup rig
s, SBMs and other offshore structures.
Repair and maintenance jobs on offshore rigs are also undertaken at Alcock, Jackets up to 80 m. length and 2200 T. weight can be constructed. At Nhava, Jackets up to 80 m. length and 2300 T. weight, Main Decks up to 550 T. weight and Helipads of 160 T. weight
The yard also builds specialist vessels with capability to clean oil spills and fight fires on offshore drilling platforms.
A welding training school develops and maintains welding techniques and procedures to acceptable standards and continuous updation of welding techniques.
s and crafts such as tug boats, dredgers, tankers
, passenger ship
s and cargo ship
s. It has also built and supplied commercial trawlers and barge
s, support vessels, a floating jetty
and floating cranes.
guided-missile frigates with a 3800 tons diplacement, and ability to embark two helicopters. Three ships of the class were built by MDL - the lead ship, INS Godavari
, the INS Ganga
and INS Gomati
.
s for the Indian Navy. The lead vessel
of the class was commissioned on 23 August 1989, and the second, INS Kuthar
, on 7 June 1990. The remainder of the class were built at Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers
(GRSE) following a transfer of technology from MDL, in order to diversify warship building capabilities to other yards, as well as to make room at MDL for the larger projects to follow.
guided-missile destroyers. These were powered by gas turbines and displaced 6,200 tonnes. The first of the class, INS Delhi
, was launched in February 1991 and commissioned on 15 November 1997. The second, INS Mysore
, was commissioned on 2 June 1999 followed by the last ship in the series, INS Mumbai
, on 22 January 2001.
(Project-17) frigates are the first warships with stealth features to be designed and built in India. These multi-role, guided-missile frigates have reduced radar signature and are due to enter service starting in 2010. At least 3 of this class are under construction at MDL. The lead vessel of the class commissioned on 29 April 2010.
vessels are the next-generation of guided-missile destroyers in the 6,800 tonnes range to be designed and built at MDL. They incorporate stealth features. The lead vessel of the class was launched on 30 March 2006. At least three vessels of the class are planned.
. These vessels are specialised ships built for patrolling, policing, search and rescue operations in India's Exclusive Economic Zone
. Each of these ships carries a helicopter on board. Seven such ships have been delivered to the Coast Guard.
the yard started construction of floating Border Out Posts (BOPs). Essentially these BOPs are floating police stations, each with four high-speed boats. The yard has delivered 9 out of an order for 14 BOPs.
diesel-electric submarine designed by Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft. Two vessels of this class were constructed at MDL.
under a technology-transfer agreement with DCNS.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
’s prime shipyard
Shipyard
Shipyards and dockyards are places which repair and build ships. These can be yachts, military vessels, cruise liners or other cargo or passenger ships. Dockyards are sometimes more associated with maintenance and basing activities than shipyards, which are sometimes associated more with initial...
. It manufactures warships and submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
s for the Indian Navy
Indian Navy
The Indian Navy is the naval branch of the armed forces of India. The President of India serves as the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy. The Chief of Naval Staff , usually a four-star officer in the rank of Admiral, commands the Navy...
, as well as offshore platforms and associated support vessels for offshore oil drilling. It also builds tanker
Tanker (ship)
A tanker is a ship designed to transport liquids in bulk. Major types of tankship include the oil tanker, the chemical tanker, and the liquefied natural gas carrier.-Background:...
s, cargo bulk carrier
Bulk carrier
A bulk carrier, bulk freighter, or bulker is a merchant ship specially designed to transport unpackaged bulk cargo, such as grains, coal, ore, and cement in its cargo holds. Since the first specialized bulk carrier was built in 1852, economic forces have fueled the development of these ships,...
s and passenger ship
Passenger ship
A passenger ship is a ship whose primary function is to carry passengers. The category does not include cargo vessels which have accommodations for limited numbers of passengers, such as the ubiquitous twelve-passenger freighters once common on the seas in which the transport of passengers is...
s and ferries.
The shipyards of MDL were established in the 18th century. These yards have over two centuries of experience in shipbuilding
Shipbuilding
Shipbuilding is the construction of ships and floating vessels. It normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a shipyard. Shipbuilders, also called shipwrights, follow a specialized occupation that traces its roots to before recorded history.Shipbuilding and ship repairs, both...
. Ownership of the yards passed through various entities, including the P&O Lines and the British India Steam Navigation Company. Eventually, Mazagon Dock Limited was registered as a public company
Public company
This is not the same as a Government-owned corporation.A public company or publicly traded company is a limited liability company that offers its securities for sale to the general public, typically through a stock exchange, or through market makers operating in over the counter markets...
in 1934. The shipyard was nationalized in 1960, and is now a PSU of the Government of India
Government of India
The Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...
.
Activities
Vice Admiral H. S. Malhi, AVSM,VSM-IN (Retd) is the head of Mazgaon Docks The activities at the yard are shipbuilding, Submarine , and fabrication of offshore structures. It has manufacturing facilities situated at MumbaiMumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
and Nhava.
The yard has the capability to build warships, submarines, and merchant ships up to . It can also fabricate well head platforms, process and production platforms and jack up rigs for oil exploration.
Offshore platforms
MDL builds offshore oil drilling platforms. It operates facilities at Alcock, Mumbai and at Nhava Yard for construction of platforms with wellheadWellhead
A wellhead is a general term used to describe the component at the surface of an oil or gas well that provides the structural and pressure-containing interface for the drilling and production equipment....
, water injection
Water injection (oil production)
Water injection refers to the method in oil industry where water is injected back into the reservoir, usually to increase pressure and thereby stimulate production. Water injection wells can be found both on- and offshore, to increase oil recovery from an existing reservoir...
and production separator and glycol process capabilities, as well as jackup rig
Jackup rig
A jack-up rig is a type of mobile platform that is able to stand still on the sea floor, resting on a number of supporting legs. The most popular designs use 3 independent legs, although some jackups have 4 legs or more...
s, SBMs and other offshore structures.
Repair and maintenance jobs on offshore rigs are also undertaken at Alcock, Jackets up to 80 m. length and 2200 T. weight can be constructed. At Nhava, Jackets up to 80 m. length and 2300 T. weight, Main Decks up to 550 T. weight and Helipads of 160 T. weight
The yard also builds specialist vessels with capability to clean oil spills and fight fires on offshore drilling platforms.
A welding training school develops and maintains welding techniques and procedures to acceptable standards and continuous updation of welding techniques.
Commercial vessels
The yard has built a wide range of vessels for the commercial sector, including offshore supply vessels (OSVs), harbour utility vesselTugboat
A tugboat is a boat that maneuvers vessels by pushing or towing them. Tugs move vessels that either should not move themselves, such as ships in a crowded harbor or a narrow canal,or those that cannot move by themselves, such as barges, disabled ships, or oil platforms. Tugboats are powerful for...
s and crafts such as tug boats, dredgers, tankers
Tanker (ship)
A tanker is a ship designed to transport liquids in bulk. Major types of tankship include the oil tanker, the chemical tanker, and the liquefied natural gas carrier.-Background:...
, passenger ship
Passenger ship
A passenger ship is a ship whose primary function is to carry passengers. The category does not include cargo vessels which have accommodations for limited numbers of passengers, such as the ubiquitous twelve-passenger freighters once common on the seas in which the transport of passengers is...
s and cargo ship
Cargo ship
A cargo ship or freighter is any sort of ship or vessel that carries cargo, goods, and materials from one port to another. Thousands of cargo carriers ply the world's seas and oceans each year; they handle the bulk of international trade...
s. It has also built and supplied commercial trawlers and barge
Barge
A barge is a flat-bottomed boat, built mainly for river and canal transport of heavy goods. Some barges are not self-propelled and need to be towed by tugboats or pushed by towboats...
s, support vessels, a floating jetty
Floating dock
A floating dock is a platform or ramp supported by pontoons. It is usually joined to the shore with a ramp that rests upon the dock on rollers, to adjust for the vertical movement of the dock...
and floating cranes.
Nilgiri class frigate
The first warship built by MDL was the 2,900-ton displacement, INS Nilgiri, the lead ship of her class. She was launched on 15 October 1966 and commissioned on 23 June 1972. Five more frigates of this class were built over the next nine years for the Indian Navy.Godavari class frigate
While construction of the Nilgiri-class was being completed, the Indian Navy proposed requirements for an indigenously designed and built frigate. This new frigate was to be of wholly Indian design and manufacture. To address these requirements, MDL designed and built the Godavari classGodavari Class Frigate
The Godavari class frigates are guided-missile frigates of the Indian Navy. The Godavari class was the first significant indigenous warship design and development initiative of the Indian Navy...
guided-missile frigates with a 3800 tons diplacement, and ability to embark two helicopters. Three ships of the class were built by MDL - the lead ship, INS Godavari
INS Godavari (F20)
INS Godavari is the lead ship of her class of guided-missile frigates of the Indian Navy. Built by Mazagon Dock Limited in Mumbai, she was commissioned on 10 December 1983.-Operation Cactus:...
, the INS Ganga
INS Ganga (F22)
INS Ganga is a Godavari-class guided-missile frigate of the Indian Navy. Built in Mumbai by Mazagon Dock Limited, she was commissioned on 30 December 1985.-UNOSOM II:...
and INS Gomati
INS Gomati (F21)
INS Gomati is a Godavari-class guided-missile frigate of Indian Navy.Ship badge=It was suggested that some of the ship's components were substandard and that there were errors in the procurement process.-References:...
.
Khukri class corvettes
MDL designed and built the first two vessels of the Khukri class corvetteKhukri class corvette
The Khukri class corvettes were intended to replace the ageing Petya II Class corvettes of the Indian Navy.The first two were ordered in December 1984 and the remaining in 1985. The diesel engines are assembled in India, under license by Kirloskar Group. Around 65% of the ship contains indigenous...
s for the Indian Navy. The lead vessel
INS Khukri (P49)
INS Khukri is the lead vessel of her class of corvettes, currently in service with the Indian Navy. The ship is named after INS Khukri, the only Indian Navy ship ever lost in combat. The previous was sunk by a torpedo strike by PNS Hangor during the 1971 Indian Pakistan war...
of the class was commissioned on 23 August 1989, and the second, INS Kuthar
INS Kuthar (P46)
INS Kuthar is a Khukri class corvette, currently in service with the Indian Navy.-References:...
, on 7 June 1990. The remainder of the class were built at Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers
Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers
Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Limited is one of India's leading shipyards, located in Kolkata, West Bengal. It builds and repairs commercial and navals vessels....
(GRSE) following a transfer of technology from MDL, in order to diversify warship building capabilities to other yards, as well as to make room at MDL for the larger projects to follow.
Delhi class destroyers
The next class of vessels designed and built by MDL were the Project-15 Delhi classDelhi class destroyer
The Delhi class destroyers are guided-missile destroyers of the Indian Navy. Three ships of this class are in active service.The Delhi class vessels are the largest warships to be fully designed and built in India, although they will soon be superseded by the Kolkata class destroyers and the...
guided-missile destroyers. These were powered by gas turbines and displaced 6,200 tonnes. The first of the class, INS Delhi
INS Delhi (D61)
INS Delhi is the lead ship of her class of guided-missile destroyers of the Indian Navy. She was built at the Mazagon Dock Limited in Mumbai and commissioned on 15 November 1997. This class is among the largest warships to be designed and built in India.INS Delhi is the second vessel of the Indian...
, was launched in February 1991 and commissioned on 15 November 1997. The second, INS Mysore
INS Mysore (D60)
INS Mysore is a Delhi-class guided-missile destroyer currently in active service with the Indian Navy.-History:INS Mysore was built at Mazagon Dock Limited in Mumbai. Her keel was laid down in February 1991 and she was launched on 4 June 1993...
, was commissioned on 2 June 1999 followed by the last ship in the series, INS Mumbai
INS Mumbai (D62)
The INS Mumbai is the third of the Delhi-class guided-missile destroyers in active-service with the Indian Navy.Mumbai was built at Mazagon Dock Limited in her namesake city Mumbai, launched in 1995, and commissioned in 2001....
, on 22 January 2001.
Shivalik class frigates
The 5000 tons Shivalik classShivalik class frigate
The Shivalik class frigates or Project 17 class frigates are multi-role frigates with stealth features being built for the Indian Navy. They are the first warships being built in India with such features. The lead vessel of the class was commissioned on April 29, 2010.The Shivalik class will be the...
(Project-17) frigates are the first warships with stealth features to be designed and built in India. These multi-role, guided-missile frigates have reduced radar signature and are due to enter service starting in 2010. At least 3 of this class are under construction at MDL. The lead vessel of the class commissioned on 29 April 2010.
Kolkata class destroyers
Kolkata classKolkata class destroyer
The Kolkata class of guided-missile destroyers of the Indian Navy were conceptualized under Project 15A, and include land-attack capability as well as some signature reduction features. Three ships of the class are being built at Mazagon Dock Limited . The first vessel is expected to join the fleet...
vessels are the next-generation of guided-missile destroyers in the 6,800 tonnes range to be designed and built at MDL. They incorporate stealth features. The lead vessel of the class was launched on 30 March 2006. At least three vessels of the class are planned.
Coast Guard vessels
The yard also builds Offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) for the Indian Coast GuardIndian Coast Guard
The Indian Coast Guard is a branch of the Indian Armed Forces. Its mission is the protection of India's maritime interests and maritime law enforcement with jurisdiction over both territorial and international waters....
. These vessels are specialised ships built for patrolling, policing, search and rescue operations in India's Exclusive Economic Zone
Exclusive Economic Zone
Under the law of the sea, an exclusive economic zone is a seazone over which a state has special rights over the exploration and use of marine resources, including production of energy from water and wind. It stretches from the seaward edge of the state's territorial sea out to 200 nautical...
. Each of these ships carries a helicopter on board. Seven such ships have been delivered to the Coast Guard.
Floating police stations
Based on the order by the BSFBorder Security Force
The Border Security Force is a border patrol agency of the Government of India. Established on December 1, 1965, it is one of the Central Armed Police Forces. Its primary role is to guard India's international borders during peacetime and also prevent transnational crime...
the yard started construction of floating Border Out Posts (BOPs). Essentially these BOPs are floating police stations, each with four high-speed boats. The yard has delivered 9 out of an order for 14 BOPs.
Other vessels
Among other ships, the yard has built three fast missile boats, a cadet training ship, and various other utility ships for the Indian Navy.Shishumar class submarine
The Shishumar class submarines are a variant of the Type 209Type 209 submarine
The Type 209 is a class of diesel-electric attack submarine developed exclusively for export in the late 1960s by Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft of Germany...
diesel-electric submarine designed by Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft. Two vessels of this class were constructed at MDL.
Scorpene class submarine
MDL is presently building six diesel-electric submarines of the Scorpene classScorpène class submarine
Scorpène class submarines are a class of diesel-electric attack submarine jointly developed by the French DCN and the Spanish company Navantia and now by DCNS. It features diesel propulsion and an additional air-independent propulsion ....
under a technology-transfer agreement with DCNS.
See also
- Cochin ShipyardCochin ShipyardCochin Shipyard Limited is the largest ship building and maintenance facility in India. It is part of a line of maritime related facilities in the port-city of Kochi, in the state of Kerala, India....
- Garden Reach Shipbuilders and EngineersGarden Reach Shipbuilders and EngineersGarden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Limited is one of India's leading shipyards, located in Kolkata, West Bengal. It builds and repairs commercial and navals vessels....
- Goa Shipyard LimitedGoa Shipyard LimitedGoa Shipyard Limited is one of India's leading shipyards. It is located on the West Coast of India at Vasco da Gama, Goa at . It was established in 1957, originally by the Portuguese-India govt as "Estaleiros Navais de Goa", to build barges to be used in Goa's growing mining industry, which took...