Key Highlights
- Knowledge Marine & Engineering Works secured a ₹303.17 crore dredging contract from New Mangalore Port Authority.
- The contract is the largest dredging order in KMEW’s history.
- The three-year contract covers FY 2026-27, FY 2027-28 and FY 2028-29.
- The project involves maintenance dredging of 15.9 million cubic metres over three years.
- The annual dredging volume is estimated at 5.3 million cubic metres.
- The annual contract value is approximately ₹101.07 crore including taxes.
- KMEW emerged as the lowest bidder with a bid approximately 10.16% below the competing bid.
- Operations for the first year are scheduled to begin on November 15, 2026.
- The company must complete the annual dredging work within 150 days each year.
- The project covers the approach channel, lagoon, dock areas, turning circle, berth faces and pump-house areas.
Knowledge Marine & Engineering Works Limited (KMEW) has secured a ₹303.17 crore maintenance dredging contract from New Mangalore Port Authority (NMPA), marking the largest dredging order in the company’s history. The three-year contract covers the financial years 2026-27, 2027-28 and 2028-29 and includes GST.
According to the company’s regulatory filing dated October 30, 2026, KMEW received the work order for maintenance dredging at New Mangalore Port. The company emerged as the lowest bidder, submitting a bid approximately 10.16% below the competing bid.
The contract involves the removal of approximately 15.9 million cubic metres of sediment over three years, equivalent to an average annual dredging volume of 5.3 million cubic metres. The annual contract value is approximately ₹101.07 crore, including taxes. Operations for the first year are scheduled to begin on November 15, 2026, with the annual dredging work required to be completed within 150 days each year.
KMEW New Mangalore Port Dredging Contract Details
The project covers maintenance dredging across several operational areas of New Mangalore Port, including the outer approach channel, lagoon, dock areas, turning circle, designated berth faces and pump-house areas.
The outer approach channel, which extends approximately 7.5 kilometres, will be dredged to a depth of up to 15.40 metres below Chart Datum (CD). Dredging in specified sections of the lagoon, oil dock arm and turning circle will extend to depths of up to 15.10 metres below CD, while the KIO berth extension lagoon will be maintained at a depth of up to 14 metres.
The contract also includes dredging at designated berth faces, where specified depths range from 8 metres to 15.10 metres below CD. Work at the old dock arm and eastern dock will follow the depths specified by the port’s engineer or marine department.
Additional work will cover pump-house areas, with dredging depths of 6 metres below CD at Pump Houses 1 and 2 and 10 metres below CD at Pump House 3.
In addition to the principal dredging volume, the agreement includes 180,000 cubic metres of berth-face dredging and 18,000 cubic metres of pump-house area dredging over the three-year period. The company plans to deploy a suitable Trailing Suction Hopper Dredger (TSHD), along with specialised equipment for berth-face and pump-house operations.
Largest-Ever Dredging Order Expands KMEW’s Project Scale
The contract represents a shift towards larger-volume dredging projects for Knowledge Marine & Engineering Works. The company stated that the award expands its responsibilities beyond maintaining selected sections of port infrastructure to undertaking maintenance dredging across the complete port premises.
The three-year agreement is expected to add a substantial maintenance dredging project to KMEW’s order book and provide revenue visibility over the contract period. It also strengthens the company’s position in large-scale maintenance dredging and port infrastructure projects in India.
Commenting on the order, KMEW Chief Executive Officer Sujay Kewalramani highlighted three aspects of the contract: the scale of execution and revenue, the responsibility for maintaining the entire port and the company’s ability to operate across different dredging requirements.
He also indicated that the project represents a step towards the company’s broader operating strategy, which includes smaller marine craft and larger dredging operations. The company identified the award as a potential milestone in its plans to own and operate a mid-sized Trailing Suction Hopper Dredger.
