DCI to invest ₹2,000 crore in two new dredgers, plans ₹500 crore rights issue.

Dredging Corporation of India Ltd (DCI) is set to invest around ₹2,000 crore to acquire two new trailing suction hopper dredgers (TSHDs) with a capacity of 12,000 cubic metres each from Cochin Shipyard Ltd, Chairman M Angamuthu announced. This investment aims to boost the country’s dredging ecosystem by enhancing DCI’s technical, operational, and financial capabilities. The recently launched indigenous dredger ‘DCI Dredger Godavari’ marks a milestone in advanced dredging technology and self-reliant maritime infrastructure.

DCI currently operates ten TSHDs with a total hopper capacity of 59,513 cubic metres, catering to about 55% of India’s yearly dredging demand of 120 million cubic metres. With the addition of the new dredgers, including ‘Godavari’, DCI expects to fully meet India’s dredging needs without relying on foreign-flagged vessels.

To support this fleet expansion, DCI plans to soon finalize a ₹500 crore rights issue after discussions with promoters, including major port authorities like Visakhapatnam, Paradip, Deendayal, and Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authorities.

The ‘DCI Dredger Godavari’ is a 12,000 cubic metre Beagle Series dredger built with design and technology inputs from Royal IHC, the world’s largest dredger builder. Its fuel-efficient, automated design enhances sustainability and operational efficiency, enabling DCI to undertake large-scale dredging projects and pursue global markets. The collaboration between DCI, Cochin Shipyard, and Royal IHC exemplifies successful indigenous shipbuilding aligned with “Make in India” and “Atmanirbhar Bharat” initiatives, reinforcing India’s strategic maritime capabilities.