Hindustan Shipyard

History

Founded as the Scindia Shipyard, it was built by industrialist Walchand Hirachand as a part of The Scindia Steam Navigation Company Ltd. Walchand selected Visakhapatnam as a suitable location for the construction of the yard and took possession of the land in November 1940.

The first ship to be constructed fully in India after independence was built at the Scindia Shipyard and named Jal Usha. It was launched in 1948 by Jawaharlal Nehru at a ceremony where the families of Seth Walchand Hirachand, late Narottam Morarjee, and Kilachand Devchand, the partners of Scindia Shipyard, were present along with other dignitaries and industrialists.

Walchand died in 1953, and the Scindia Shipyard continued to operate successfully under the next of kin of the founders. However, in 1961 the shipyard was nationalised and renamed Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL).

In 2010, HSL was transferred from the Ministry of Shipping to the Ministry of Defence.

In 2022, Hindustan Shipyard Limited registers highest value of production in its history. the value of production from shipbuilding remained at ₹613 crore marking it as the highest value of production recorded from shipbuilding division in the history of the shipyard.

In April 2025, the shipyard got a profitable turnover in close to four decades after years of narrow losses. The shipyard aims to achieve the miniratna status.

Ships built by the company

• Nand Rati (1984)
• Lok Rajeswari (1988)
• MV Goa (1997)
• Tamilnadu (2000)
• MV Good Princess (2008)
• MV Good Pacific (2008)
• Good Precedent (2011)
• Indian Grace (1978)
• Indian Glory (1978)
• Indian Explorer (1976)
• TS Rajendra (1972)
• INS Dhruv
• INS Nistar

Facilities

The shipyard is relatively compact at 46.2 ha. It is equipped with the plasma cutting machines, steel processing and welding facilities, material handling equipment, cranes, logistics and storage facilities. It also has testing and measuring facilities.

It has a covered building dock for building vessels up to 80,000 DWT. There are three slipways and a 550 m fitting-out jetty.

HSL has a dry dock, wet basin and repair delphin for ship and submarine repair and retrofitting.

Vessels

By 2009, over 192 vessels had been built at HSL through 2009 and the shipyard had repaired almost 2000 ships. It builds bulk carriers, offshore patrol vessels, survey ships, drill ships, offshore platforms and repair and support vessels.

It also conducts major overhauls of the Indian Navy's submarines, and is being equipped to construct nuclear-powered submarines. However, the shipyard has a history of protracted refits. The submarines Vela, Vagli, and Sindhukirti each spent almost 10 years for a single refit at HSL. Where a Russian shipyard would deploy 200 workers in three shifts to complete the refit in two years, HSL deployed only 50 workers to work on Sindhukirti.

References

References

1. [https://hslvizag.in/hsl-cms/media/2024-12-24-HSL%20Annual%20Report%202023-24%20book%20final.pdf"Annual Report 2023-24"].
2. (24 November 2017). "Hindustan Shipyard Limited celebrates Foundation Day".
3. Gayatri, V. K. L.. (2018-11-23). "Hindustan Shipyard Limited celebrates founders day".
4. (9 October 2009). "Hindustan Shipyard: Making Waves". India Today.
5. "PM's speech at the release of a Commemorative Postage Stamp honouring Seth Walchand Hirachand".
6. (1999). "Business Legends By Gita Piramal".
7. "About Us". Hindustan Shipyard Limited.
8. (24 December 2009). "Govt moves Hindustan Shipyard to Defence ministry". [[The Times of India]].
9. "Hindustan Shipyard Limited registers highest value of production in its history".
10. "After 40 years, Defence Shipyard HSL's net worth turns positive - The Economic Times".
11. "Ship Building". Hindustan Shipyard Limited.
12. "Ship Repairs". Hindustan Shipyard Limited.
13. (November 17, 2008). "Navy's sub induction plan suffers blow". India Today.