GSL will collaborate with APMB.
Credit: Goa Shipyard Ltd.
Visakhapatnam: Goa Shipyard Ltd (GSL) has chosen Machilipatnam in Andhra Pradesh as the site for its next big warship-building and defence manufacturing expansion on the East Coast, marking one of the most significant boosts yet for the Andhra Pradesh Maritime Board (APMB).
The landmark MoU signed on the second day of the mega CII Partnership Summit on Saturday between APMB and GSL positions Machilipatnam to emerge as a key pillar in India’s shipbuilding ecosystem, while cementing AP’s rise as a force in the nation’s maritime–defence corridor.
Under the partnership, GSL will collaborate with APMB to develop state-of-the-art facilities for construction of next-generation naval vessels including OPVs, missile boats and coastal security craft and defence-grade refits, modern dry docking and systems integration. An expansive ecosystem supporting high-skilled marine engineering jobs will also be developed as part of the MoU.
Under the MoU strengthening Machilipatnam Port as a defence manufacturing and logistics node will also be explored.
“Goa Shipyard choosing Machilipatnam for warship building is a milestone for Andhra Pradesh. This partnership strengthens India’s naval capabilities while accelerating our mission to build world-class maritime and defence infrastructure. It will create future-ready jobs and transform Machilipatnam into a strategic hub,” said Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu.
Goa Shipyard Ltd, Chairman & Managing Director Brajesh Kumar Upadhyay, said that Machilipatnam offers the ideal ecosystem for their next phase of growth on the East Coast.
“With this partnership, GSL will not only scale up advanced warship-building and defence manufacturing, but also generate thousands of high-skilled jobs in marine engineering and related sectors. We look forward to working closely with the Andhra Pradesh Maritime Board to build a world-class shipbuilding hub for the country,” he said.
The project further aims to generate 6,500 jobs in its first phase, including 1,500 direct employment opportunities by 2030, covering skilled personnel, payroll staff and contract workers within the facility, along with 5,000 indirect jobs expected to emerge through the wider supply chain, port-linked services, logistics, and ancillary industrial growth surrounding the defence manufacturing ecosystem, Brajesh Kumar Upadhyay.