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 Shipbuilding's Kattupalli Shipyard near Chennai in October 2026, the company announced. The vessel was expected to arrive at the shipyard on October 20, subject to operational and weather conditions.
Source: Maersk — official release, Oct 20, 2026
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 Hindu BusinessLine reported. 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.
Lifted out on India's largest shiplift
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, Maersk said. 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 the water.
Drydocking is a planned process in which a vessel is taken into a dry dock, enabling extensive inspection, maintenance and repair of areas ordinarily submerged, alongside work on machinery, equipment and propulsion. Maersk said it is essential to maintaining a vessel's safety, seaworthiness, operational performance and reliability for the next five years.
A global shipping major choosing an Indian yard for a planned drydocking — work that needs global-standard facilities and skills — is a practical test of India's shipbuilding and ship-repair ambitions. The project brings together Maersk's fleet and technical teams with L&T, Indian subcontractors, suppliers and maritime service providers, Maritime Gateway reported.
Dinesh Kumar Balraj, Head of Fleet Operations East at Maersk, described the drydocking of Maersk Chattogram in India as a meaningful step towards turning the collaboration with L&T into action, Marine Insight reported.