Cochin shipyard Ltd. launches 5th Bulk Carrier for Clipper Group

Kochi, Jun 6 (UNI) Cochin Shipyard Ltd. today launched ahead of schedule the fifth of the six 30,000 DWT bulk carriers being built for M/s Clipper of Denmark and also laid the keel of the last vessel in the series.

At a colourful function at the Shipyard this afternoon, Mrs Anne Mette Holste Jensen of the Clipper Group named the fifth Bulk Carrier as 'Clipper Texan' and broke the ceremonial champagne bottle to mark the occasion.

Nautical Advisor to the Central Government Capt. M M Saggi commenced the 'flooding' of the ship to formally mark its launch. He also did the formal keel laying of the last vessel in the bulk carrier series for the Clipper Group.

The occasion also marked the launch of a Platform Supply Vessel (PSV) for M/s Deep Sea Supply, Norway. This was the fourth of a series of eight PSVs being built by the CSL for the Norwegian group.

Congratulating the CSL for its achievements, Capt. Saggi said the shipyard had achieved a record shipbuilding of 1,79,000 DWT during 2006-07 and also an all-time high shiprepair turnover of Rs 285 crore. It is also expected to post a very healthy financial result for 2006-07, surpassing all previous records. The yard's profits were expected to be three times of those achieved last year, he added.

The shipyard's growing expertise in manufacturing the popular Platform Supply Vessels augured well for it as the PSVs were in great demand all over the world, he added.

Cmde M Jitendran, CMD, Cochin Shipyard, said the future plans of the company were proceeding on schedule. The small Ship Division proposal of the yard was being considered by the expenditure finance committee of the Shipping Ministry.

The shipyard had orders worth Rs 5,000 crore. These included orders for 18 PSVs, two bulk carriers and the prestigious Air Defence Ship of the Indian Navy.

The bulk carrier launched today can accommodate 24 crew in a fully air-conditioned ambience. It is designed to carry dry bulk and break bulk cargos such as grain, metal concentrates, iron ore, scrap metal, coal, bauxite, salt and sugar.

The platform supply vessel is meant for transport of deck cargo, pipes, liquid cargo, cement and barite and unloading to rigs and production platforms and pipe-laying barges.

UNI