and Offshore Fabrication Yard
By Our Special Correspondent

Mazagon Dock Limited, Mumbai, is the leading shipbuilding and offshore fabrication yard in India. The yard was established in the 18th century, and over the 200 odd ventful years, has earned a reputation for quality work and a tradition of skilled and resourceful service to the shipping world, in general and the Indian Navy in particular.

After its takeover by the Government in 1960, Mazagon Dock rapidly grew to become a premier yard in India, producing sophisticated warships for the Navy and offshore structures for the ONGC. It grew from a single unit, small shiprepair company, into a multi-unit and multi-product company, with significant rise in production, use of modern technology and sophistication of products.

Warshipbuilding
The first modern warship to be built by the company was the Leander Class frigate "NILGIRI".The design was obtained from the British Admiralty and the frigate itself was built in collaboration with Messrs. Vickers Ltd. and Messrs Yarrow (Shipbuilders) Ltd. of U K. The NILGIRI was launched in October, 1968 and commissioned in 1972. During the next nine years Mazagon Dock built and delivered five more frigates to the Navy.

As the construction of the Leander series was coming to an end, the Navy evolved a design for a new generation frigate. Mazagon Dock was responsible for all production drawings of the new frigate. Unlike the Leander, the new frigate was totally Indian in concept, design and execution. The ship was larger than the Leander with about 25% more displacement, and could embark two large helicopters. The new class was christened as the "Godavari Class", and the first ship of the series ‘GODAVARI’ was launched in May 1980 and commissioned in December 1983. The second ‘GANGA’ was commissioned in December 1985, the third and last of the series ‘GOMATI’ was commissioned in April 1988.

After the conclusion of the Godavari Class frigates, construction of frigates of Project 15, powered by gas turbines, was undertaken. The first of the class ‘DELHI’ was launched in February 1991 and commissioned in November 1997, the second ‘MYSORE’ was launched in June 1993 and commissioned in 1999. The third ship in the series 'Mumbai' will be commissioned in the Navy in January 2001 along with the corvette ‘Kirch’ which was fitted out at MDL.

Mazagon Dock was also constructed corvettes for the Navy. The Corvettes are smaller warships of about 1500 tonnes. The first of the series, 'KHUKRI', was launched in December 1986 and commissioned in August 1989, the second, ‘KUTHAR’, was launched in January 1988 and commissioned in June 1990. Follow-on corvettes were constructed at GRSE, Calcutta under lead yard services provided by Mazagon Dock. Mazagon Dock undertook the fabrication of a new series of fast of fast and powerful Missile Boats for the Navy. Three missile boats INS VIBHUTI, INS VIPUL and INS NASHAK were commissioned into the Navy between 1991 and 1994. The fourth Missile Boat 'Prabal' was launched at the Shipyard in september 2000.

In May 1984, Mazagon Dock was also entrusted with the construction of Submarines. The construction of Submarines required a totally new technology and very stringent quality standards. The first submarine ‘SHALKI’ was launched on 30th September, 1989 and after undergoing extensive trials joined the submarine fleet of the Navy in February 1992. The second submarine ‘SHANKUL’ was launched in March 1992 and commissioned in May 1994, since then no further orders for submarines have been received. There is a real fear that if further orders for submarines are not received in the near future, the technical knowhow which had been developed over a period of time will be lost as also the facilities specially created for the submarine project.

Besides warships for the Navy, Mazagon Dock has also completed the construction of a series of Offshore Patrol Vessels for the Coast Guard. These vessels are specialised ships for patrolling, policing, search and rescue operations in the Exclusive Economic Zone of the country. They are also provided with pollution control and fire fighting capability and carry a helicopter on board. The design of these vessels was entirely evolved at Mazagon Dock. Seven Coast Guard Ships, VIKRAM, VIJAYA, VEERA, VARUNA, VAJRA, VIVEK and VIGRAHA today form the mainstay of the Coast Guard fleet. MDL has also completed the construction of two series of Offshore Supply vessels to the ONGC.

Over the years Mazagon Dock has also constructed a number of specialised vessels for diverse uses. From deep sea fishing trawlers and harbour utility vessels like tugs and dredgers to a diving support vessel and a multi purpose support vessel SAMUDRA SEWAK for the ONGC’s offshore explorations. Most of these vessels were ‘first of a kind’ to be constructed in the country. The most recent ship was a trailing Suction Hopper dredger ‘Vivek’ built for MBPT.

On the export front, Mazagon Dock has achieved another ‘first’. It is the only shipyard in India to have built ships for foreign clients. Since 1974-75, the company has built and supplied, vessels to Singapore, the Iranian Navy, U K, the Gulf and Mozambique. After a gap of several years MDL once again entered the export arena with the fabrication of ‘Commandant Mortenol’a sand dredger for a French Company.

Offshore
The discovery of oil in Bombay High opened for Mazagon Dock a new horizon for diversification. The company augmented its facilities for fabrication of platforms for the ONGC. Mazgaon Dock has so far constructed and installed over 60 platforms, fabricated and delivered 2 Jack-up rigs, 2 single Buoy Mooring Systems, 3 flare tripods, 6 bridges, coated about 700 kms subsea pipe line and laid about 400 kms of subsea pipe line. Jack up rigs ‘SAGAR UDAY’ and ‘SAGAR KIRAN’ constructed by Mazagon Dock for ONGC, are the first ever jack-up rigs built in India.

In 1999 MDL’s capability as premier shipbuilders to the nation was rewarded with the ISO 9001 certification. The Offshore Division was subsequently awarded the ISO 9002 certification. This was followed by the ‘U’ stamp for pressure vessels and ‘R’ stamp certification for repair.

Mazagon Dock has come a long way from being a ship repair yard in 1960 to its current status as the premier fabrication yard in the country. During the year 1999-2000 the value of production was Rs. 1146.47 crores; employees strength-9500. The company made a direct contribution of Rs.81.50 crores in this year, to the Central Exchequer.