Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDSL) (IAST: Majhagānv Dawk Shipbuilders Limiṭeḍ) is a company with shipyards situated in Mazagaon, Mumbai. It manufactures warships and submarines for the Indian Navy and offshore platforms and associated support vessels for offshore oil drilling. It also builds tankers, cargo bulk carriers, passenger ships and ferries.[6][1]
MDL is a public sector undertaking managed by the Ministry of Defence, with the Government of India holding an 80.82% stake.[7][8] Its shipbuilding segment has indigenously built stealth frigates, destroyers, guided-missile destroyers, corvettes, landing platform docks, missile boats, patrol boats, trailing suction hopper dredgers, cargo ships, cargo-passenger ships, platform supply vessels, Voith tugs and BOP vessels, while its submarine segment has built conventional submarines and stealth submarines. Both segments have also performed repair and refit activities.[9][10][11]
History
The company's shipyards were established in the 18th century. Ownership of the yards passed through entities including the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company and the British-India Steam Navigation Company. Eventually, 'Mazagon Dock Limited' was registered as a public company in 1934.
The shipyard was nationalised in 1960 and is now a public sector undertaking (PSU) of the Government of India.[1] In 2024, it became India's 18th PSU to receive the Navratna status from the Indian government.[12]
Captain Jagmohan, IN (Retd), is the Chairman & Managing Director (CMD) of Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited. The retired naval officer took over his current position on 21 April 2025.[13] He will lead the company until his retirement on 30 September 2029. The former Navy captain has earlier served as the Director, Corporate Planning, Projects and Business Development at Goa Shipyard Limited.[14]
Activities
The company's activities are shipbuilding, submarine building, and fabrication of offshore structures. It has manufacturing facilities on both the Mumbai peninsula and on the mainland.
The yard can build warships, submarines, and merchant ships up to 30,000 deadweight tons (DWT).[18] It can also fabricate wellhead platforms, process and production platforms, and jack-up rigs for oil exploration.
As of 2025, the shipyard has the capacity to handle 11 submarines and 10 warships at a time.[17]
Beside the existing facility, MDL developed a shipbuilding cum ship repair facility on 15 acre of land which is leased from Mumbai Port Authority for 29 years.[19] As reported in July 2025, shipbuilding operations have commenced in the facility,[17]
Expansion
Naval projects
Warships
Nilgiri-class frigate (1972)
The first warship built by MDL was the 2,900-ton displacement INS Nilgiri, the lead ship of her class. She was launched on 15 October 1966 and commissioned on 23 June 1972. Five more frigates of this class were built over the next nine years for the Indian Navy.[26]
Godavari-class frigate
While construction of the Nilgiri class was being completed, the Indian Navy proposed requirements for an indigenously designed and built frigate. This new frigate was to be of wholly Indian design and manufacture. To address these requirements, MDL designed and built the Godavari-class frigate guided-missile frigates with a 3,800-tonne displacement and the ability to embark two helicopters. MDL built three ships of the class – the lead ship, INS Godavari (F20), INS Ganga (F22), and INS Gomati (F21).[27]
Commercial projects
Offshore platforms
MDL builds offshore oil drilling platforms. It operates facilities at Alcock, Mumbai, and Nhava Yard for the construction of platforms with wellhead, water injection and production separator and glycol process capabilities, as well as jackup rigs, SBMs and other offshore structures.[39]
Repair and maintenance jobs on offshore rigs are undertaken at Alcock; jackets up to 80 m length and 2,200-tonne weight can be constructed. At Nhava, jackets up to 80 m length and 2,300-tonne weight, main decks up to 550-tonne weight, and helipads of 160-tonne weight can be constructed.
The yard builds specialist vessels able to clean oil spills and fight fires on offshore drilling platforms.
A welding training school develops and maintains welding techniques and procedures.
See also
- Cochin Shipyard
- Colombo Dockyard
- Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers
- Goa Shipyard Limited
- Hindustan Shipyard
External links
References
- Introduction Mazagon Docks Ltd^
- Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders shareholding shows LIC bought government stake sold via OFS - CNBC TV18 CNBCTV18, 21 July 2025, retrieved 1 October 2025^
- Mazagon dock shipbuilders limited - innovating maritime future