Ship Building is a branch of heavy engineering industry It is an assembly industry. It draws boilers, engines, electrical goods, glass, rubber, nuts and bolts etc. manufactured by other industries.
The industry manufactures ships of a variety of sizes and for a variety of purposes ranging from fishing vessels, cargo ships, oil tankers, cruise liners to ferries. Boats, sailing boats, etc. are also made by this industry.
The industry also manufactures naval ships ranging from mine layers, mine sweepers, destroyers, frigates, tugs to air craft carriers, gun boats, submarines etc.
Ship building is a highly expensive, technical, time consuming, scientific and sophisticated industry. It exists in a few economically sound and technically advanced countries only The industry has developed on account of:
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(i) Growing international trade relationships among the countries of the world.
(ii) Development of Iron and Steel and various other industries connected with fitting and trimming of the ships.
(iv) National security and race for naval supremacy in the world has boosted construction of ships of different sizes and for different purposes for the use of the navy.
(iv) Availability of capital.
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(v) Advancement in marine architecture and marine technology.
Kolkata, Vishakhapatnam, Mumbai, Kochi and Murmagao are ship building centres. In these shipyards, ships of a variety of sizes and purpose are built. These include boats, fishing boats, fishing vessels, barges, cargo ships and warships.
1. The Hindustan Shipyard Ltd. Vishakhapatnam set up by M/s Scindia Steam Navigation Company in 1941, was taken over by the Indian Government in 1952 and named Hindustan Shipyard.
The yard has constructed over 150 ships so far.
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2. The Cochin Shipyard Ltd. Kochi started work in 1976.
3. The Garden Reach Factory, Kolkata has specialised in the construction of naval boats, harbour crafts, tugs, barges, dredgers etc. It is on the eastern bank of Hoogly.
4. Hoogly Dock and Port Engineers Ltd. was set up in 1984. It has 2 units in Howrah district in West Bengal.
(i) Salkia (ii) Nazirganj.
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These units manufacture a variety of ships like dredgers, tugs, fishing trawlers, offshore platforms for the ONGC etc.
4. The Mazgaon Dock, Mumbai constructs dredgers, frigates, destroyers etc. for the Indian Navy.
Besides, there are three dozen small ship yards in the country engaged in manufacturing of small sized vessels for the domestic shipping companies. Goa shipyard makes fibre glass boats, trawlers, barges and dredgers.
Repair Shipyards. There are 17 such yards in India.
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They carry out ship repair work.
(i) Dry Dock Cochin
(ii) H.S.L. Vishakhapatnam (Hi) Chennai Port Yard
(iv) West India Shipyard Marmagoa (Goa) is the most significant. Naval Ship repair work is done at the Mazgaon Ship Yard Mumbai.