Udupi Cochin Shipyard delivers first green cargo vessel to Norway

The Udupi Cochin Shipyard Limited (UCSL), a subsidiary of Cochin Shipyard Limited, delivered Wilson Eco 1, the first of six 3,800 DWT green dry cargo vessels to Norway’s Wilson Ship Management AS, marking a major step in India’s export of eco-friendly maritime solutions. The delivery ceremony took place at New Mangalore Port on Wednesday and was attended by senior officials from Wilson, UCSL, and the New Mangalore Port Authority.

According to the officials, designed by Conoship International of the Netherlands, the diesel-electric vessel is part of a Norwegian government-funded green shipping initiative. It is future-ready for wind-foil and battery hybrid upgrades and will operate in European inland and coastal waters. Wilson, Europe’s largest short-sea shipping company, has further placed an order with UCSL for eight 6,300 DWT general cargo vessels worth Rs 1,041 crore.

Wilson Eco 1, constructed at a cost of Rs 506 crore, features key systems from Sweden, the Netherlands, and India, and is classed by Bureau Veritas under the Norwegian flag. The project involved over 800 Indian workers and trained over 100 personnel under national skilling programmes. This is UCSL’s first international commercial delivery since its revival under CSL in 2020.

The yard has earlier completed projects for the Kochi Water Metro and Indian fisheries schemes.