Royal HaskoningDHV has been awarded contracts worth approximately €9 million by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) for the design and project management of two new shipbuilding and repair yards in Mumbai. The project will integrate MDL’s existing shipyard with the new facilities, forming a larger complex that will include what is expected to be India’s largest shipbuilding dry dock, capable of accommodating next-generation aircraft carriers.
The larger of the two sites, Nhava Yard, spans 40 acres across the channel from MDL’s current shipyard. It will include up to 30 buildings, dry berths, fabrication facilities, workshops, and other infrastructure. The dry dock is planned to be nearly 600 meters long and 60 meters wide, making it suitable for large vessels, including aircraft carriers and Suezmax tankers. The site will support both defence and commercial shipbuilding and repairs, with an estimated 1,500 additional personnel.
The second facility, South Yard Annexe, is located adjacent to MDL’s existing site. It will feature a wet-basin-cum-drydock, hard stands, and a waterfront jetty with roll-on/roll-off facilities for loading and unloading vessels. The site, leased from the Mumbai Port Authority for 30 years, is expected to employ around 500 additional workers.
The project scope includes shipyard planning, environmental and geotechnical surveys, detailed engineering, procurement consultancy, and project supervision. The construction phase for Nhava Yard is expected to take 48 months, while the South Yard Annexe is projected to be completed in 36 months.
According to MDL’s Director of Shipbuilding, the expansion is driven by increasing demand for shipbuilding and repair facilities. The design will enable modular construction, allowing the shipyards to work on different sections of the same vessel simultaneously.
Royal HaskoningDHV has previously collaborated with MDL, providing design and engineering consultancy for upgrades to its Mumbai shipyard between 2006 and 2013. The company stated that environmental risk assessments will be a key aspect of the project, with facilities designed to minimize carbon footprint and adhere to Indian Green Buildings Council standards. The design phase is expected to take 18 months.