Page 68: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (August 2012)

The enthusiasm, dedication andpassion for ship building have helped ABG Shipyard Ltd re- main in the forefront. Speakingto Maritime Reporter & EngineeringNews , Major Arun Phatak (right) points out that it is more important to be a re-sponsible shipbuilder demonstrating with solid results rather than empty talk.Unruffled by the slump in shipping freight rates, ABG Shipyard Ltd., the largest private shipbuilder in the country, has persisted on a high-growth trajectory. With a record delivery of 158 specialized and sophisticated vessels to date, the ver- satility of the shipyard and expertise to build a complex and wide range of ves- sels speaks volumes about ABG?s poten- tial and vibrant track record. ?We managed to foray into the interna- tional market because of the quality of our product, timely deliveries and cost competitiveness,? says Maj. Arun Phatak, President and Executive Director of AGB Group. ?We compare much better than the Korean and Japanese ship yards. Al- most 90% of our orders in the merchantmarine side today are for exports. For this we have been acknowledged by the gov- ernment of India as the highest exporters in the engineering category in India and have been receiving several awards in- cluding the All India Trophy for Highest Exporters consistently from 2003-04 on-wards, in recognition of our outstanding contribution to Engineering Export. We have also been felicitated with the ?Ship- yard of the Year Award? by Lloyd List in Dubai last year.? Major Phatak is all praise for his teamof well-qualified professionals ?fired with a passion for ship building?. ?Our Chair- man Rishi Agarwal?s visionary zeal serves as a catalyst for sustained growth,? he says. ?If there is something about shipbuilding that Mr. Agarwal does not know it is not worth knowing,? he adds for good measure.He elaborates about their 275 strongABG team which represents a uniqueblend of skill, expertise and camaraderie along with support from contractual laborconsisting of over 8000 workers. Their greatest forte is that their executives keep abreast of the latest developments. Well trained and equipped with sophisticatedtools, they rise to global challenges with finesse. ABGShipyard Largest Private Shipyard in India By Joseph Fonseca, Mumbai?We have a shipyard under con- struction at Calcutta, on the EastCoast. It will cost $ 28.9m andbe dedicated solely for buildingsmaller vessels of 150 to 160meters in length.?Maj. Arun Phatak, AGB Group 68Maritime Reporter & Engineering News MR#8 (66-73) REAL:MR Template 8/9/2012 11:33 AM Page 68