The Dredging Corporation of India Limited (DCIL) is gearing up for a major transformation following a landmark announcement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the inauguration of India Maritime Week 2025. As part of the Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision, a massive ₹4,000 crore investment has been announced to modernize DCIL and enhance its role in India’s maritime infrastructure.
DCIL operates under a consortium of four major ports — the Visakhapatnam Port Authority, Paradip Port Authority, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority, and Deendayal Port Authority — functioning under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways. The modernization plan is designed to strengthen DCIL’s dredging capacity, improve operational efficiency, and make it globally competitive through the addition of advanced dredgers, adoption of digital technologies, and implementation of sustainable practices.
A major component of this investment will go toward modernizing the dredging fleet and expanding capacity to meet the country’s growing maritime needs. The plan also emphasizes the construction of new dredgers in Indian shipyards, supporting the government’s ‘Make in India’ initiative. The Ministry has already approved the procurement of three new Trailer Suction Hopper Dredgers (TSHDs), with DCIL having placed an order for one 12,000 CuM TSHD named DCI Dredge Godavari in March 2022. The vessel was launched recently on October 18, 2025, and is expected to be delivered by July 2026. Orders for another 12,000 CuM TSHD and one more dredger will be placed in the coming months.
In addition to the TSHDs, DCIL plans to procure a Cutter Suction Dredger, a Water Injection Dredger, another smaller-capacity TSHD for shallow draft operations, and six Beaver dredgers of varying sizes for inland waterway and canal dredging. The corporation is also set to adopt digital automation and green dredging technologies to ensure sustainable operations while minimizing environmental impact.
Alongside technological upgrades, DCIL’s modernization plan includes a strong focus on workforce development. Training and skill enhancement programs will be introduced to align the company’s technical manpower with global maritime standards.
