Brief history and background of the establishment

In the year 1819 Hooghly Docking & Engineering Co. Ltd., was established in the Private Sector.

To utilise the available infrastructure and increase the capacity for shipbuilding and ship repair, Hooghly Dock & Port Engineers Ltd. (HDPEL) was formed with the merger of Hooghly Docking & Engineering Co. Ltd., with Port Engineering  Works (PEW) under the “The Hooghly Docking and Engineering Company Limited”   (Acquisition and Transfer of Undertakings Act. 1984).

The nationalized company remained with the Ministry of Industry till 27.7.1986 and thereafter, was transferred to the Miistry of Surface Transport.  Presently the company is under Ministry of Shipping (Government of India).

The Company has two units, namely, Salkia Works approx. area  414672 sq.ft. and Nazirgunge Works approx. area 667380 sq.ft. respectively located on the Hooghly riverfront, with adequate potential for both shipbuilding and ship repair  activities.  In addition to a dry dock size in Mitrs. 94M x 13.4M x 8.6M deep Maximum DWT of vessel Approx 1000MT at Salkia Works and Jetties,  Size in Mtrs.  36M 1 No. at Nazirgunge Works % 45M 1 No. at Salkia Works (Can accommodate 3 Nos. 85 M length vessels at a time), it has 6 silp ways.