HD Hyundai advances $4 billion shipyard plan in Tamil Nadu
The proposed 2.5 million gross ton facility in Thoothukudi aims to ease dock bottlenecks in South Korea and capture Indian state orders for commercial vessels.
HLBy Hyun-jung Lee, Korea correspondent, shipbuilding and defense··Updated November 1, 2026·3 min read
ShareLinkedInXWhatsAppEmailA worker welds steel framework at a coastal shipyard lined with heavy cranes and large dry dock structures. (AI-generated image)
HD Hyundai and Indian maritime authorities concluded talks on Oct. 31, 2026, advancing a proposed $4 billion greenfield shipyard project in Tamil Nadu designed to produce 2.5 million gross tons annually.
The complex in Thoothukudi would become India's largest commercial shipyard. Its planned capacity represents roughly 8% of current global shipbuilding output, according to project estimates released by India's Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways.
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Korea correspondent, shipbuilding and defense — Hyun-jung Lee reports on Korean yards, order books and naval programs, and on the defense export contracts that increasingly sit alongside them.
