Government subsidies have helped the nascent yard to secure orders and establish its business in quick time, with Swan Corp Ltd having taken over the bankrupt yard just two and a half years ago, now ready to build deepsea vessels.    Promoter and director Vivek Merchant told Seatrade Maritime News that SDHI has won orders for six chemical tankers from family-owned Norwegian operator Stenersen.    “They've built 14 ships in China, and we have managed to move them away from China and get them to India and build with us now,” said Merchant. The ships are 18,000 dwt, dual-fuel LNG-powered with another six options, for the ice class, IMO Tier 3 ships.    In addition, the yard has won orders for four 92,500 dwt dual-fuel ammonia powered bulk carriers for the UK company Energy One.     “The tankers will be delivered in the first half 2029 and the bulkers will be delivered first half 2030 onwards, with three to four months between each vessel,” according to Merchant.     These initial orders are critical for the development of the yard, explained Merchant: “Over the next two to three years, we see the [shipyard’s] supply chain being built out to sustainable levels where we can meet the indigenisation required and produce a cost effective, timely product for customers globally.”    SDHI management has been studying the sector for more than six years and is now implementing its development plan, with the co-operation of foreign partners.     “Over the last 12 months, we've completed about 30 dry dockings at our facilities,” said Merchant, who added the yard began with vessel repairs and moved on to building tugs, barges and mini bulkers.     An initial investment of $280m secured the certification and maintenance on critical yard equipment, but the real success for SDHI has been its training programme for staff.    “We have a little more than 1,000 people on ground today,” said Merchant, but with another 550 staff set to join by March next year on dock and in office, the company aims to ramp up recruitment further as investments require around 5,000 new staff in the coming two to three years.    Further investment in the yard will be needed explained Merchant: “We have earmarked another $220m for the short term, for the next about two to three years in terms of upgrading of technology and modernisation as required.”    The company has also invested in a centre of excellence to train staff in the classroom and then shift them onto the shop floor for on-the-job training.       That transfer of knowledge to local engineers and naval architects has been aided by such household names as DNV, Samsung Heavy Industries, Dutch dredging and defence company Royal IHC and Norway’s Kongsberg.      Subsidies from New Delhi are certainly aiding the rapid development of Indian shipbuilding as Merchant acknowledges.       A fund of some $10bn has been earmarked for the maritime sector up to 2036, which includes the Shipbuilding Assistance Scheme, which is a direct subsidy for vessels built in India of between 15-25% of the value of the ship.    “This subsidy support is over the life cycle of the shipbuilding process, it's not at the fag end of the delivery process, so that also helps ease your working capital requirements since this is a capital-intensive business,” said Merchant.    Another pillar of the fund is ship equity with government support of up to 49% for Indian-built vessels.    “The other part of that same development fund is basically a CapEx fund which supports brownfield and greenfield shipyard expansions,” said Merchant.    It is this element that has supported SDHI and other Indian yards to develop rapidly. Under this government scheme, SDHI has been granted support for a second Goliath crane on its dry dock, and an E&L crane as well.