Domestic shipbuilder and fabricator Swan Defence and Heavy Industries (SDHI) is exploring a collaboration with South Korea's Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) to build complex commercial vessels at its Pipavav yard in Gujarat. According to reports from Mint, the partnership will initially focus on medium-range product tankers and very large gas carriers (VLGCs), with Samsung providing designs and engineering support while construction takes place at SDHI's Pipavav facility.
The collaboration is structured as a licence-led collaboration rather than a formal joint venture, with Samsung licensing vessel designs and providing engineering and material packages while SDHI pays design and licence fees on a per-vessel basis. As reported by Mint, SDHI CEO Vipin Kumar Saxena indicated the partnership could expand over time if both sides see value, though it remains a cooperation model rather than an equity joint venture at this stage.
The partnership comes as India seeks to expand domestic capability in complex ship segments and reduce reliance on overseas yards. According to Mint, SDHI has submitted a joint bid with SHI in response to a Shipping Corp. of India (SCI) tender to construct two firm and two optional dual-fuel ready MR product tankers valued at around $200 million in total. The companies are also looking to participate in upcoming SCI tenders for eight VLGCs, under which two vessels would be built at a Korean yard and six at an Indian shipyard using the same technology platform.
SDHI operates one of India's largest dry docks at Pipavav and has been expanding fabrication capacity since restarting operations in early 2024. As reported by Mint, the company has increased fabrication capacity to more than 160,000 tonnes per annum and is investing in crane capacity, digital integration and brownfield expansion. The company has also signed a ₹4,250 crore memorandum of understanding with the Gujarat Maritime Board covering infrastructure augmentation and a proposed maritime cluster.
The prospective Samsung collaboration follows SDHI securing India's first export order for six 13,000 DWT chemical tankers from a Norwegian client, with an option for six more vessels. According to Mint, the company has also won a defence export contract to build a cadet training ship for Oman. Saxena emphasized that winning export contracts against established Asian shipbuilders has boosted confidence at the yard, with partnerships with global design leaders critical to accelerating India's move up the value chain.
