India’s Cochin Shipyard Delivers Advanced Multi-Purpose Vessel To German Shipping Firm

Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) has delivered a multi-purpose vessel to a German shipping company.

The vessel, named MS Heinz, was handed over on 12 January to HS Schiffahrts UG (haftungsbeschränkt) & Co KG, Germany.

It is the first ship in the HS EcoFreighter series being built by CSL for the German owner.

The delivery and acceptance protocol was completed through a virtual ceremony, with Dr S Harikrishnan, Director (Operations) at CSL, and Heinz Josef Schepers, Director of HS Schiffahrts, signing on behalf of their organisations.

Senior officials from both CSL and the German company were present during the event.

CSL confirmed that the vessel was designed by Groot Ship Design of the Netherlands and constructed at its Kochi shipyard.

The 7,000 deadweight tonne (DWT) vessel is capable of carrying a variety of cargoes, including project and heavy cargo, steel coils, containers, timber, paper, dry bulk commodities such as coal and grain, as well as hazardous materials.

Officials stated that the order includes a total of eight vessels, each valued at approximately ₹110 crore.

The steel-cutting ceremony for the series, which marks the start of construction, was held in March 2023.

Cochin Shipyard, India’s largest central public sector enterprise (CPSE) shipyard, said the delivery represents an important milestone in its efforts to strengthen its presence in the global commercial shipbuilding market.

As of 30 June 2025, CSL’s order book stood at ₹21,100 crore, with the Indian Navy accounting for about 66 per cent of total orders, down from roughly 88 per cent earlier.

References: PTI, Economic Times