A.P. Moller – Maersk (Maersk) will undertake its first planned drydocking in India, with the Singapore-flagged container vessel Maersk Chattogram scheduled to enter L&T’s Kattupalli Shipyard near Chennai, in October 2026.
As per an official release from Maersk the activity marks the first operational milestone arising from the Memorandum of Understanding signed by Maersk and Larsen & Toubro (L&T) during India Maritime Week 2025.
The MoU established a framework for exploring collaboration in shipbuilding, ship repair and exchange of knowledge on global standards and building world-class capability, capacity and resources.
Maersk Chattogram is expected to arrive at the shipyard on 20 October 2026, subject to operational and weather conditions.
The planned drydocking forms part of the vessel’s normal lifecycle and will include its scheduled special survey, along with maintenance and overhaul work covering the hull and structure, machinery, equipment and propulsion systems.
Drydocking is a planned process in which a vessel is taken into a dry dock, enabling extensive inspection, maintenance and repair of such areas of the vessel that are ordinarily submerged, alongside work on machinery, equipment and propulsion system.
It is essential to maintaining a vessel’s safety, seaworthiness, operational performance and reliability for the next five years.
Maersk Chattogram will undergo a specialised lift out operation using India’s largest Shiplift system at L&T Shipbuilding, Kattupalli, to lift the vessel out of water.
Mr Dinesh Kumar Balraj, Head of Fleet Operations East, A.P. Moller – Maersk, said, “The drydocking of Maersk Chattogram in India is a meaningful step towards turning our collaboration with L&T into action.
We are aligning Maersk’s global technical requirements with India’s growing shipyard, supplier and maritime-service capabilities.”
He added, “We believe India has strong potential to become an increasingly important global hub for the maritime sector and we are committed to supporting that development through long-term partnerships, operational experience and knowledge sharing.”
Similarly, Mr Arun Ramchandani, Head – Precision Engineering & Systems, L&T, said, “The docking of Maersk Chattogram at Kattupalli advances our strategic partnership under the MoU and Framework Agreement signed between our organisations. 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.
We share Maersk’s commitment to India’s maritime development and seek to play a key role in establishing India as a globally competitive maritime hub.”
The project is expected to bring together Maersk’s fleet and technical teams with L&T, Indian subcontractors, suppliers and maritime service providers.
The partners will focus on safe, efficient execution, quality delivery and the exchange of operational knowledge throughout the docking.
The activity reinforces Maersk’s broader commitment to India’s maritime development and its belief in the country’s engineering talent, infrastructure and potential across the maritime value chain.
It also reflects the long-term intent of the Maersk-L&T partnership, moving from an exploratory framework to a concrete vessel-maintenance project in India.
