Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], November 2: Knowledge Marine & Engineering Works Limited (KMEW) has secured it’s largest dredging order in the Company’s history by receiving a Letter of Acceptance from New Mangalore Port Authority (NMPA) for a three-year maintenance dredging contract valued at approximately ₹303.17 crore, including taxes.
KMEW emerged as the lowest bidder, with its bid approximately 10.16% below the bid submitted by the competition.
The landmark contract, covering FY 2026–27, FY 2027–28 and FY 2028–29, involves post-monsoon maintenance dredging of 15.9 million cubic metres over three years, equivalent to an average annual volume of 5.3 million cubic metres. The annual base contract value is approximately ₹101.07 crore, including taxes. Operations are scheduled to commence from 15th November 2026 for the first year, with annual dredging work to be completed within 150 days each year.
Key Project Scope and Dredging Depths
The project encompasses maintenance dredging across the outer approach channel, lagoon, dock areas, turning circle, designated berth faces and pump-house areas. It involves deployment of a suitable Trailing Suction Hopper Dredger (TSHD), along with specialised equipment for berth-face and pump-house dredging.
| Area | Scope / Specified Depth |
| Outer Approach Channel | 7.5 km channel; up to 15.40 m below Chart Datum (CD) |
| Lagoon, Oil Dock Arm and Turning Circle | Dredging up to 15.10 m below CD in specified areas |
| KIO Berth Extension Lagoon | Up to 14.00 m below CD |
| Designated Berth Faces | Berth-specific depths ranging from 8.00 m to 15.10 m below CD |
| Old Dock Arm / Eastern Dock | To depths specified by the Engineer / Marine Department |
| Pump Houses 1 and 2 | 6.00 m below CD |
| Pump House 3 | 10.00 m below CD |
In addition to the principal dredging volume, the contract includes specified berth-face dredging of 180,000 cubic metres and pump-house area dredging of 18,000 cubic metres over the three-year period.
Building Scale and Long-Term Revenue Visibility
The New Mangalore Port award represents more than KMEW’s largest-ever dredging order. It reflects the Company’s strategic progression towards higher-volume dredging assignments, sustained asset utilisation and larger-scale port infrastructure projects.
The three-year engagement adds a substantial maintenance dredging assignment to KMEW’s order book and provides multi-year revenue visibility. It also strengthens the Company’s execution credentials and positions it to pursue further opportunities in large-volume maintenance and capital dredging across India’s port infrastructure sector.
Commenting on the development, Mr. Sujay Kewalramani, Chief Executive Officer, Knowledge Marine & Engineering Works Limited, said:
“This is a landmark order for KMEW and an important milestone in our journey towards building an integrated marine infrastructure company.
The three highlights that stand out with this order are;
- Scale in volume of execution and revenue
- Larger responsibility of maintain the complete port
- Full-Spectrum presence, smaller as well as larger dredgers.
The scale of this contract represents a significant progression from the comparatively smaller-volume dredging assignments to a sustained, perpetual, large-volume maintenance dredging programme. In the past, we have been awarded the partial responsibility of maintaining depths in a section of a port area. This is the first time the maintenance dredging of the complete port premises has been rendered upon us. This move enables the company to place itself as a Full-Spectrum/ Dual-Market Strategy business model. This award, is the infliction point for owning and operating mid-size Trailing Suction Hopper Dredger by the Company.”
