CSL, Andaman and Nicobar admin sign MoU for O & M of marine

Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL) has entered into an agreement with the Andaman and Nicobar administration to spruce up the operational efficiency of the marine dockyard in Port Blair and ensure faster turnaround of vessels for seamless operations.

As part of the MoU, CSL shall take up the 'Operation and Maintenance of the Marine Dry-Dock' at Port Blair.

Under the ambit of this Memorandum of Unuderstanding (MoU) signed on September 25, CSL shall assist the administration to set up Ship repair eco-system at A&N slands, for augmentation and modernization of marine dockyard and skill development and training schemes for the islands, a CSL release here said Thursday.

The MoU was signed in New Delhi by Madhu Nair, CMD CSL and Ankita Mishra Bundela, IAS, Commissioner Cum Secretary (Shipping), A and N Administration, in the presence of Gopal Krishna, IAS, Secretary to Ministry of Shipping and other officials.

CSL has also signed an MoU with Andaman and Nicobar administration in December 2016, for repair of large sea-going vessels owned by them and is already in effect.

The Andaman and Nicobar Islands, one of the seven union territories of India, are a group of islands at the juncture of the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea.

The islands have a key position in India's strategic role in the Bay of Bengal and the Malacca Strait.

The local population and the islands economy are heavily dependent on water transport.

While the bigger ships are capable of traversing the sea to Mainland India for repairs, the remaining ships and vessels are dependent on the facilities in the island for their maintenance and upkeep, which is handled by the Directorate of Shipping Services through its Marine Dockyard Facility at Port Blair.