Kolkata: Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd. (GRSE), a Navratna Defence Public Sector Undertaking under the Ministry of Defence, Government of India, achieved another milestone in its commercial shipbuilding programme with the keel-laying ceremony of the fifth Multi-Purpose Vessel (MPV) being built for Germany’s Carsten Rehder Schiffsmakler and Reederei GmbH & Co. KG on Thursday, October 29, 2026. The milestone marks steady progress in one of GRSE’s most significant export projects and reinforces its commitment to the vision of ‘Make in India, Make for the World’.
The MPV project represents the largest commercial shipbuilding export order secured by GRSE, reflecting the shipyard’s expanding capabilities in the international commercial shipbuilding market. The project also underscores GRSE’s strategic focus on diversifying its portfolio and strengthening its presence in the global maritime sector.
The ceremony was graced by senior officials from GRSE, Carsten Rehder and DNV.
The project entails the design and construction of twelve CORAL 7500 DWT Multi-Purpose Vessels, developed in collaboration between GRSE and Germany’s Carsten Rehder. The first contract, signed in June 2024, covered four vessels. The fifth vessel is the first of four MPVs being built under the second contract, signed in October 2024. A third contract, signed in September 2025, covered the four hybrid-propulsion MPVs, taking the total order of MPVs to twelve.
Each vessel will measure 120 metres in length, with a beam of 17 metres and a draught of 5.85 metres, and will have a deadweight capacity of 7,500 tonnes. Designed for operational versatility, the vessels will feature a large cargo hold capable of accommodating bulk, general and project cargo. Their design will also permit the carriage of containers on hatch covers and multiple wind turbine blades on deck, providing flexibility to meet diverse cargo transportation requirements.
The MPVs are being developed in collaboration with leading German maritime companies, including F.H. Bertling, ForestWave Navigation/Schulte & Bruns, and Delft Shipping. Technical design support is being provided by SEDS in association with GRSE, while DNV will undertake the classification and certification of the vessels.
