Knowledge Marine & Engineering Works Limited (KMEW) has secured its largest-ever dredging order, a Rs 303.17 crore ($32 million) maintenance dredging contract from New Mangalore Port Authority.
The three-year contract covers financial years 2026-27, 2027-28 and 2028-29. It carries an annual base value of about Rs 101.07 crore ($10.6 million) and was awarded after KMEW emerged as the lowest bidder.
The assignment involves post-monsoon maintenance dredging of 15.9 million cubic meters over three years, or an average of 5.3 million cubic meters annually. The first-year campaign is scheduled to start on November 15, 2026, with the annual dredging program required to be completed within 150 days.
KMEW will undertake work across the outer approach channel, lagoon, dock areas, turning circle, berth faces and pump-house areas. Also, the 7.5-km outer approach channel will be dredged to depths of up to 15.40 meters below Chart Datum.
Fir this task, the company plans to deploy a trailing suction hopper dredger (TSHD), along with specialized equipment for berth-face and pump-house work.
The contract also includes 180,000 cubic meters of berth-face dredging and 18,000 cubic meters of pump-house dredging during the three-year period.