Going To Goa

Rolls-Royce and Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL), a shipbuilding yard in India under the Indian Ministry of Defence, have agreed to cooperate in the  local manufacturing of MTU Series 8000 engines in India. Under the agreement, which was signed at defense trade show Defexpo, the companies will assemble the 16- and 20-cylinder MTU Series 8000 engines rated 7 to 10 MW at GSL’s new facility in Goa. The MTU brand is part of Rolls-Royce Power Systems.

“The agreement with GSL to manufacture MTU’s most-advanced Series 8000 engines in India is a significant milestone and further reinforces our commitment to ‘Make in India.’” said Praveen Mohan, director & CEO, MTU India. “We have been working with the Indian defence sector for several decades and our well-proven MTU engines propel and power many vessels of both the Indian Coast Guard and Indian Navy. We are committed to collaborating with our stakeholders to help support the country’s vision of indigenization and self-reliance.”

The agreement includes transfer of MTU technology related to localizing of engine components, engine assembly, testing, painting and major overhauls. MTU Series 8000 engines are MTUs largest and most powerful diesel engines and are fitted onboard all Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV) recently constructed or currently under construction in India, including 11 Coast Guard OPVs by GSL (six completed and five under construction), five Naval OPVs under construction at Reliance Defence Engineering and seven Coast Guard OPVs by L&T.

“In line with the thrust on indigenization and ‘Make in India’ initiative of the MoD, Government of India, GSL has been on the forefront for increasing the indigenous content onboard vessels constructed at GSL,” said RAdm (Retd) Shekhar Mital, chairman & managing director of GSL. “Since main diesel engines constitute the heart of a ship and are among the major high value imported equipment items onboard ships, the collaboration will aid to significantly increase the indigenous content onboard ships constructed in India.

“It will also provide a strategic edge to Indian Defence Sector as know-how and infrastructure for such niche technology will now be available with a PSU Shipyard, which can be gainfully utilized by the Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard. For some time we have been on the lookout for acquiring such technology of marine propulsion engines and we are thankful to our partners Rolls-Royce and MTU Friedrichshafen for choosing us as collaborator. Under the agreement we will be catering for marine propulsion requirements within the country in the range of 7 to 10 MW. The new facility being created by GSL will also undertake all major overhauls of these engines.

“This venture will be a game changer. Plans are in place to progressively increase the indigenous content and with a strong manufacturing base in India, we are confident of achieving significant indigenous content in these engines. Besides creating self-reliance for India, it will usher in new opportunities for the local industry for indigenization.”

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