Cochin Shipyard: solving mega-project bottlenecks
Resource leveling and safety governance that held a dry-dock schedule through a 14-day supply chain disruption.
A 14-day component delay
Situation As a production supervisor at Cochin Shipyard, I oversaw the assembly of complex vessel mega-blocks. A supply chain failure delayed high-value steel components by 14 days, threatening a cold stop to the dry-dock schedule and heavy late-delivery penalties.
Task Keep the workforce productive and the project on schedule, without raising the overtime budget or compromising ISO 45001 safety standards.
Resequencing the floor
I re-engineered the production sequence using principles I now recognise as core PRINCE2® themes.
With the delay beyond time tolerances, I coordinated modular parallel processing, resequencing the team from external hull assembly to internal structural outfitting (Phase 3 modules). This kept the workforce fully utilised through the component shortage.
To avoid a standstill on minor works, I ran an inventory salvage audit, repurposing certified off-cut materials for non-structural fittings. This cut procurement delays and reduced material waste.
Faster workflow changes raise accident risk, so I reinforced safety with a dynamic risk-assessment routine and 10-minute toolbox talks, keeping the team compliant with ISO safety standards through the resequencing.
Validated results
Professional evolution
Technical engineering is the how; governance is the why. Moving into formal project management, through an MSc and PRINCE2, was the logical step to formalise the resource leveling I learned on the shipyard floor.