Panaji: Goan firm Buoyancy Consultants has joined hands with Germany’s Neptun Ship Design to work on the design of container vessels, passenger ships, and scientific research vessels.The partnership is expected to focus on access to internationally proven vessel design technologies, strengthen engineering capabilities, promote knowledge transfer, and support the delivery of complex vessels both in the domestic market and internationally.The two firms signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) at SMM Hamburg, one of the world’s leading maritime trade fairs.“India is one of the most promising maritime markets in the world today. The country’s vision for strengthening domestic shipbuilding, investments in maritime infrastructure, and commitment to becoming a global manufacturing hub creates tremendous opportunities for long-term growth. Together, we aim to contribute to the development of advanced vessel solutions while supporting the evolution of a globally competitive Indian shipbuilding sector,” said Paul Brzesina, the managing director of Neptun Ship Design.India currently carries only a small fraction of its own export-import cargo on Indian-flagged vessels, with the remainder handled by foreign shipping lines at an annual freight outflow estimated at around $75 billion.To close this gap, govt of India has moved decisively to have a fleet of 51 commercial vessels, owned and chartered, within five years, backed by an investment of around Rs 59,000 crore (approximately $6.4-6.9 billion) in investment. Around 15 container ships could be ordered from domestic yards in the coming financial year alone.“This partnership represents much more than a business collaboration. It is a step aligned with India’s maritime ambitions for 2030 and 2047. Together, we look forward to creating opportunities that benefit both the Indian and European maritime ecosystems,” said Prasad Sawant, the chief executive officer of Buoyancy Consultants.The collaboration will enable Buoyancy Consultants to expand its reach across Germany and wider European markets, while supporting Neptun’s growth ambitions in India and across South Asia.
