September 08, 2008

Gujarat Vahanvatti industry booming on orders from MEA

It is reported that Arabian buyers are placing regular orders for ancient design vessels to carry livestock etc with shipbuilder in Gujarat. Locally known as vahanvatti, the wooden ship building industry exists in Mandvi and Salaya ports. However, the past 2 years have seen massive orders coming from the Middle East and Africa to make huge wooden ships.

Mr Satish Joshi a retired maritime official who now works for the Porbandar Vahanvatti association said that ''Till now, only Indians used to order wooden ships but now orders are coming in from Dubai, Iran and even Somalia for wooden ships to be built at Salaya port in Jamnagar and Mandvi in Kutch.''

Mr Noor Mohammed president of Mandvi Vahanvatti Association said that ''Vahans weighing 500 to 2000 tonnes are made using various types of wood and combining it with traditional skills. A ship takes almost a year to shape up. The wooden vessel is towed to the Gulf and then they fit the engine of their choice.''

Mr Shukla head of the department of Gujarat Maritime Board in Jamnagar said that ''While modern vessels come under the purview of the director general shipping, the wooden vessels have to get their required clearances from the ministry of commerce as they are considered as country class cargo vessels. The registration of the wooden cargo ships is done at the destination and by the purchaser. After construction it is towed to its destination by an Indian registered tug boat.”

Industry old timers said that wooden ships are made with expertise in Salaya, Porbandar and Mandvi in Gujarat and the excellent make of the vessel is what lures the buyers to Gujarat rather than Mangalore, where a similar industry exists. Experts also point to the environmentally friendly reasons for the wooden ships being still in demand as there are hardly any hazardous materials used in their manufacture.

Wooden ship manufacturers said that the cost of such ships range from INR 1 crore to INR 5 crore, based on their tonnage and size and have a life of about 30 years. Though wooden ships perform the same task as their modern counterparts the entities that complete the registration and other formalities are separate.