Guwahati: The Assam Inland Waterways Company Ltd (AIWCL), a state government enterprise, has signed an agreement with a private firm to establish a shipyard at Dharapur on the outskirts of Guwahati, with the project expected to generate around 900 jobs.
Under the agreement signed on Tuesday, a special purpose vehicle, Assam Shipyard Pvt Ltd (ASPL), will be formed to establish and operate the shipyard, according to an official statement issued on Wednesday.
ASPL will design, manufacture, assemble and commission ships, barges and vessel structures, besides terminals, boats and jetties. The facility will also undertake dry docking, marine works, slipways and floating docks, as well as ship repair, overhauling, servicing and maintenance.
AIWCL managing director Saranga Pani Sarma said the joint venture between AIWCL and Bharat A to Z (BAZ) Pvt Ltd is expected to strengthen the inland water transport sector, particularly cargo movement and tourism, and connect National Waterways 2 and 16.
The shipyard will have an initial investment of Rs 75 crore and will form part of the broader Rs 475 crore investment proposed by BAZ, Sarma said. He said the partnership would also encourage greater private-sector participation in inland water transport and shipbuilding in the Northeast.
BAZ director Sohel Kazani said ASPL plans to build 40 barges over the next five years, with the project expected to generate around 900 jobs.
The shipyard will also focus on building container vessels aimed at easing Assam’s transport constraints and reducing the cost of moving goods between Kolkata and the Northeast.
Kazani said the facility would also undertake ship recycling and support owners of old vessels in moving towards new shipbuilding, in line with the government’s provision of around 40% credit on the value of old ships.
ASPL also plans to develop specially designed boats for security, passenger and tourism purposes, along with concrete floating jetties and concrete landing craft for short-sea and island movements.
Kazani said the shipyard was being planned as an AI-enabled facility where skilled workers, rather than manual labour, would drive productivity. A small number of specialists would initially be brought in from outside Assam to train local workers before operations are eventually handed over to them, he said.
Sarma said Assam had already taken a step forward in cargo transportation with the dispatch of its first international consignment to Bangladesh from Dibrugarh after 70 years.