Startek to deliver 2 dredgers

Chennai-based Startek Shipyards unveiled its two new dredgers, Crawl-cat 400 and C90 Conver, here on Wednesday. The company will deliver the new dredgers, manufactured here in collaboration with Holland-based dredger manufacturer Boveco and costing about a total of Rs 7 crore, to their buyers on Friday.

Speaking to reporters here, Deepak Rao Beedu, executive director, Startek Shipyards, said the dredgers come with technology from IHC Merwede, Holland.

Crawl-cat 400, which is estimated to cost around Rs 5 crore, will be delivered to the Andhra Pradesh Power Generation Corporation.

The dredger will be used in cooling water canal ponds. The C90 Conver, which is estimated to cost around Rs 1.75 crore, will be delivered to a buyer in Kolkata.

Beedu said the amphibious Crawl-cat 400 is ideal for use in fishing harbours, inland waterways, minor ports, cooling water intake points of power plants and lakes. With a dredging depth of upto six metres, it can adjust its own height using track poles.

The C90 Conver will be ideal for small canals, waterways, power plants and irrigation canals. C90 Conver is a bucket dredger that scoops mud from the bottom and can go upto 3.5 metres deep.

Beedu said India needs 2-3 inland dredgers every year. Currently, only two manufacturers have the expertise to manufacture such dredgers, Startek and Tebma. In recent years, after Indian ports have opened to private operators, demand for dredgers has been on the rise, he added.

Speaking on the focus market, he said Startek would manufacture dredgers which can be used in small ports, irrigation canals and fishing harbours where the potential is high.

Startek Shipyards' turnover in 2007 was Rs 11 crore. Its current order book size for five dredgers is worth Rs 35 crore.