Maersk will undertake its first planned drydocking in India, with the container vessel Maersk Chattogram scheduled to enter L&T Shipbuilding’s Kattupalli Shipyard near Chennai.
The Singapore-flagged vessel is expected to arrive at the shipyard on 20 October 2026, subject to operational and weather conditions.
The project represents the first operational milestone under the Memorandum of Understanding signed by Maersk and Larsen & Toubro during India Maritime Week 2025.
The agreement established a framework for cooperation covering shipbuilding, vessel repair and the exchange of knowledge relating to international maritime standards and shipyard capabilities.
Maersk Chattogram to undergo special survey
The scheduled drydocking forms part of Maersk Chattogram’s normal lifecycle maintenance programme.
Work will include the vessel’s special survey, together with inspection, maintenance and overhaul activities covering its hull, structure, machinery, equipment and propulsion systems.
L&T Shipbuilding will use its Shiplift system at Kattupalli, described by the companies as the largest in India, to lift the vessel clear of the water.
“The drydocking of Maersk Chattogram in India is a meaningful step towards turning our collaboration with L&T into action,” said Dinesh Kumar Balraj, Head of Fleet Operations East at Maersk.
“We are aligning Maersk’s global technical requirements with India’s growing shipyard, supplier and maritime-service capabilities,” he added.
Project brings together Indian maritime suppliers
The project will involve Maersk’s fleet and technical teams, L&T personnel, Indian subcontractors, suppliers and maritime service providers.
The partners will focus on safety, execution, quality and the exchange of operational knowledge during the drydocking.
“The docking of Maersk Chattogram at Kattupalli advances our strategic partnership under the MoU and Framework Agreement signed between our organisations,” said Arun Ramchandani, Head of Precision Engineering & Systems at L&T.
“Combining Maersk’s global maritime expertise with L&T’s shipbuilding capabilities, we aim to strengthen domestic capabilities and supply chains across the shipbuilding ecosystem,” he noted.
The project moves the Maersk–L&T partnership from an exploratory framework to its first vessel-maintenance operation in India.
