Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) Ltd announced it has secured a $62.44 million contract with a Hamburg-based company to build four hybrid multi-purpose vessels. The contract also includes an option for two additional hybrid propulsion vessels.
Building on Existing Projects
The agreement expands on GRSE’s ongoing 7,500 DWT multi-purpose vessel project at its Kolkata yard for German shipping company Carsten Rehder Schiffsmakler und Reederei GmbH & Co. KG. The deal was signed by GRSE Director (Shipbuilding) Cdr Shantanu Bose (Retd) and Thomas Rehder, Managing Director of Carsten Rehder Schiffsmakler und Reederei, in the presence of senior officials from both sides.
Vessel Design and Capabilities
Each vessel, 120 metres long and 17 metres wide, will feature battery-assisted hybrid propulsion, improved fuel efficiency, and flexible cargo handling systems in line with International Maritime Organization (IMO) decarbonisation targets. The ships can carry 7,500 tonnes of cargo in a single hold, including bulk, general, and project cargo. Containers can be stored on hatch covers, and the vessels can transport large windmill blades on deck for renewable energy logistics.
Programme Milestones
The multi-purpose vessel programme began with an initial four-vessel contract in June 2024, followed by additional orders in September and December 2024 and March 2025, bringing the total to eight vessels. On April 17, 2025, GRSE commenced steel cutting for the CORAL 7500 DWT MPV series, marking its first major international export order in the commercial vessel segment.
