Lakshadweep islanders face undue hardships as the ship lands in the repair yard
Published April 25, 2008 | 
Kochi: The islanders who depend on the mainland of Kochi for almost all their needs, are in a difficult situation as the repair works of m.v. Tipu Sultan in not yet completed. It was taken off from the service in September to address some urgent repair works, which is being carried out at Kochi shipyard.
A delegation of people’s representatives from Lakshadweep has conveyed their anxiety to the concerned authorities that the transportation to Lakshadweep would be seriously hampered during the upcoming monsoon if the ship was not delivered without further delay.
The ship, m .v Tipu Sultan, which plies between Kochi and Lakshadweep, is one of the only two ships that ferry the passengers from the island to the mainland and vice versa. This 658-seat ship operates with the other ship in operation m.v. Bharat Seema. The ships undertake five voyages a month covering five to six islands each time. The shortage of ships might set off an unprecedented rush of passengers with the onset of the monsoon season, the island administration has decided to extend the school reopening by a fortnight.
The shipyard authorities assured that the ship would roll out of its repair yard by May 15, which should bring back the smiles on the islanders.
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Cochin Shipyard goes Hi-tech with air defense vessel
Published January 17, 2008 | 
Kochi: Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) is planning to establish a small ships division and the plans are already submitted for the approval of the Expenditure Finance Committee. This new division will exclusively cater to India’s first indigenously built air defense vessel. CSL has entered into an agreement with Italian shipyard Ficantieri for the design, installation and commissioning of the propulsion system for the air defense ship (ADS) for the Indian Navy, at a cost of over 22 million Euros.
The air defense 38,000-tonne ship will be completed in seven years and is likely to take up the position of the aircraft carrier of INS Viraat, which will be taken off the service in 2010. The shipyard has made up the accrued losses during 2001-01 and is steadily making progress clocking impressive milestones.
CSL would have more workspace and facilities for the construction of the ship at the recently inaugurated Air Defense Ship Bay. Cochin shipyard is employing the latest technology and infrastructure to complete this prestigious project well within the time frame, which will add yet another jewel to the crown of CSL.
It is a complex and massive project, which involves more than 1,800 compartments and scores of systems apart from laying cables and pipes at a distance of over 5000 kms. Approximately 20,000 tonne of special quality steel will be fabricated using the most modern facilities created in shipyard for ADS project.
Integrated hull outfit and painting (IHOP) methodology will be used in the construction of the ship. The ship will have a total length of 252 meters and a breadth of 56 meters and will be driven by four gas turbines and can attain a maximum speed of 28 knots.
The plan and design of the ship was started in 1999 and the construction is expected to start within a few days. On completion, India will be the seventh country in the world to have constructed an aircraft carrier, the others being the US, Russia, France, the UK, Italy and Spain.