🔔 Subscribe to ShipUniverse Weekly →
Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders has moved its proposed Dighi and Dugarajapatnam greenfield shipyards beyond the memorandum-of-understanding stage by issuing a single competitive tender for detailed project reports covering both developments. GeM bid GEM/2026/B/8178491, dated October 19, carries an estimated procurement value of ₹225 million, or ₹22.5 crore, and a contract period of six months and two days. The two DPRs cover Dugarajapatnam in Andhra Pradesh and Dighi in Maharashtra, where MDL has separately announced plans for approximately ₹15,000 crore of investment and 1.2 million GT of annual shipbuilding capacity at each location. The consultancy procurement is not a construction award, but it represents a significant transition from political and corporate commitments toward engineering, costing and implementation planning.
One Tender. Two Coasts. Two Potential 1.2-Million-GT Shipyards.
MDL is commissioning the engineering work needed to turn two recent anchor-shipyard agreements into costed, technically defined projects.
3,488-acre cluster · ~2.1 km waterfront · planned 13–15 m depth · tankers, bulkers, containerships, LNG carriers and specialised vessels.
2,000-acre cluster · ~3 km waterfront · planned 14 m depth · large-scale commercial shipbuilding and associated supplier ecosystem.
The Engineering Questions the DPRs Now Have to Answer
India's Shipbuilding Development Scheme defines the DPR as the principal document used to establish technical feasibility, costs, funding, environmental requirements and implementation strategy.
| Parameter | Dugarajapatnam | Dighi | What Engineering Must Resolve |
|---|---|---|---|
| Land | 3,488 acres | 2,000 acres | Shipyard footprint, ancillary zones, fabrication areas, storage, utilities and worker infrastructure. |
| Waterfront | ~2.1 km | ~3.0 km | Dry docks, slipways, shiplifts, outfitting berths, launch arrangements and basin layout. |
| Planned Depth | 13–15 m post-dredging | 14 m post-dredging | Capital dredging, approach channels, turning basins, maintenance dredging and sediment management. |
| MDL Capacity Vision | 1.2M GT/year | ≥1.2M GT/year | Number and size of building positions, block throughput, crane capacity and production flow. |
| MDL Investment Indication | ~₹15,000 crore | ~₹15,000 crore | Project phasing, capex schedule, funding structure and what infrastructure belongs to MDL versus the cluster SPV. |
| Commercial Focus | Tankers, bulkers, containers, LNG carriers, specialised ships | Large commercial vessels | Design vessel envelope and whether facilities are optimized for one segment or multiple classes. |
| Cluster SPV | APMB + Visakhapatnam Port Authority | Maharashtra Maritime Board + Mumbai Port Authority | Interface between publicly funded common infrastructure and MDL's yard-specific assets. |
How Much of India's Shipbuilding Target Could These Two Yards Represent?
Test different implementation outcomes against India's 4.5-million-GT annual shipbuilding objective.
We welcome your feedback, suggestions, corrections, and ideas for enhancements.
Please click here to get in touch