The Centre has put a stake in Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) up for sale, announcing an Offer for Sale (OFS) of 2.52% of the company’s paid-up equity. If the issue sees strong demand, the government can sell another 2.52% through a green-shoe option.The floor price for the OFS has been set at Rs 1,400 per share. Non-retail investors can bid on July 7, 2026, while retail investors will get their chance on July 8, 2026.Announcing the sale on X, the secretary, department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM), said, “Government announces Offer for Sale in Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL) with a base offer of 2.52% of its paid-up equity and an additional 2.52% as the green-shoe option in case of over subscription.”The Secretary added, “Floor price has been fixed at Rs.1400 per share. OFS opens for non-retail investors on 7th July 2026. Retail investors get to bid on 8th July 2026.”The divestment comes as the government continues to roll out programmes to expand India’s maritime ecosystem, a sector through which nearly 95% of the country’s trade by volume and about 70% by value is transported.To support long-term growth, the government has created the Maritime Development Fund (MDF) with a corpus of Rs 25,000 crore. The fund is intended to provide long-term financing for increasing shipping capacity and encouraging shipbuilding.It has also introduced a revamped Shipbuilding Financial Assistance Scheme (SBFAS), backed by an outlay of Rs 24,736 crore, to reduce cost disadvantages faced by domestic shipbuilders while promoting ship-breaking activities.Another key initiative is the Shipbuilding Development Scheme (SbDS), which has an allocation of Rs 19,989 crore for developing new shipbuilding clusters, expanding existing shipyards and providing risk coverage.The government is additionally setting up the Indian Ship Technology Centre (ISTC) in Visakhapatnam with an investment of Rs 305 crore. The proposed facility will undertake work related to ship design, engineering, research and development, and skill development.These initiatives form part of the broader Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047, the government’s long-term plan for the sector. The vision envisages investments of nearly Rs 80 lakh crore across ports, coastal shipping, inland waterways, shipbuilding and green shipping.It also proposes green shipping corridors, green hydrogen bunkering at major ports and the adoption of methanol-fuelled vessels. In total, the roadmap outlines more than 300 initiatives aimed at making India one of the world’s leading maritime and shipbuilding nations by 2047.
