Bernadette Christie, wife of the Prime Minister, last week named and launched the “Clipper Target”, the first of six bulk carriers being built by Cochin Shipyard Ltd. (CSL) for the Bahamas-based Clipper Group. According to a release, all six vessels will be “registered in The Bahamas under the Bahamian flag”. The Bahamas maintains its status as the third leading ship registry behind Panama and Liberia, with about 1,500 vessels, and growing steadily. The Bahamas Maritime Authority (BMA) maintains offices in London, New York and Nassau.
Clipper Group is an international shipping consortium comprised of Ship Owning, Time Charter Operation, Commercial and Technical Ship Management, Trading, Agency, Stevedoring and Investment Companies. Of the almost 100 vessels it owns, 76 are registered under the Bahamian flag. In total, Clipper Group controls a fleet of over 250 vessels, including number of Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCC), cruise vessels, roll-on/roll-off vessels and reefer vessels — carrying in excess of 50 million tonnes of cargo annually.
Cochin Shipyard was incorporated in the year 1972 as a fully owned Government of India company. In the last three decades the company has emerged as a forerunner in the Indian shipbuilding & Ship repair industry.