Sagar Defence Engineering (SDE) Lays Foundation for World's First Autonomous Maritime Shipbuilding Centre in Andhra Pradesh

Key facts

• Sagar Defence Engineering (SDE) laid the foundation stone for the world's first Autonomous Maritime Shipbuilding and Systems Centre at Juvvaladinne fishing harbour in Nellore district, Andhra Pradesh.
• The Government of Andhra Pradesh authorised the allocation of 29.58 acres of land for the project to enable direct sea access for vessel construction, testing, and deployment.
• The centre will focus on developing platforms such as Unmanned Surface Vessels (USVs), Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs), and intelligent navigation systems.
• The facility will deploy digital twin technology to create virtual replicas of vessels and shipyard infrastructure for performance simulation and design optimisation.
• Manufacturing operations will include robotic fabrication systems for automated welding, cutting, painting, and assembly.
• The shipyard will utilise Autonomous Material Handling (AMH) systems, including robots and Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs), to transport components.
• The facility will employ additive manufacturing (3D printing) for the rapid production of specialised maritime components and spare parts.
• The initiative aims to support smart fishing fleet networks by providing real-time fish location maps and weather alerts through satellite and cloud-based systems.