L&T's shipyard to become operational by Jan 2012

The shipyard being set up by engineering major Larsen &Toubro at Kattupalli near here would become operational by January next year, a top company official said today.

The shipyard would enable India to compete globally with Japan and Korea in building large-sized warships, car carriers and submarines, L&T Board Member and President (Heavy Engineering) MV Kotwal said.

The Shipyard is being set up by the company in association with the Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation.

Addressing at a seminar here, Kotwal said the company had invested Rs 4,000 crore for the first phase of the yard spread across 1,250 acres.

"It is going to be a monster of facilities, it can handle 18,000 tonne ships and right now, the (work on) ship-lift is nearing completion. It will be operational by January 2012," he said.

Stating the yard was "indigenously designed" by L&T, Kotwal later told reporters that the first ship from the Kattupalli Shipyard was expected to be rolled out by 2012-13.

"By 2012-13 it (first ship) should be rolled out" he said to a query.