Ashish Kacholia stock in focus after bagging ₹10.66 Cr order from New Mangalore Port Authority

Synopsis: This small-cap marine engineering company is in focus after bagging an order for the hiring of one River Sea vessel, a security boat, by the New Mangalore Port Authority. 

This company, which provides dredging services, owning and operating marine craft, and repairing, maintaining and refitting marine crafts and marine infrastructure, had its shares in the spotlight today following the company’s announcement of receiving the order. 

With a market cap of Rs 3,152 crore, the shares of Knowledge Marine & Engineering Works Ltd have given a closing price of Rs 2,919. The shares are trading at a PE of 71, whereas the industry PE is 73.1, and have given a return of almost 7,791% since their listing in March 2021.  

About the order. 

KMEW has won a Rs 10.66-crore contract from the New Mangalore Port Authority to provide and operate a River Sea Vessel (RSV) Type-IV patrol boat for the next five years. This vessel will be dedicated to security patrols inside the port, helping monitor ship movements and protect critical infrastructure. The fact that NMPA has awarded this to KMEW again shows the port’s continued confidence in the company’s work.

What strengthens this order even more is that KMEW will build the patrol boat itself, giving it better control over quality, timelines, and costs. Since ports are seeing rising traffic and stricter security needs, having a purpose-built patrol vessel with a fully provided crew (diesel excluded) makes KMEW a valuable partner in day-to-day marine safety and surveillance.

This contract also fits neatly into the company’s broader momentum. KMEW already supplies patrol boats to five of India’s twelve major ports, so this win reinforces its reputation as one of the go-to players for maritime security services. With ports growing and coastal infrastructure expanding, the order brings steady revenue visibility and strengthens KMEW’s position in this niche but rapidly growing segment.

Financials and more. 

The revenue from operations stands at Rs 52 crore in Q2 FY25 and Rs 50 crore in Q2 FY26, showcasing a YoY fall of about 4%. Along with the sales, the profits also fell from Rs 13 crore in Q2 FY25 to Rs 12 crore in Q2 FY26, which is a fall of about 8%. 

Ace investor Ashish Kacholia, as of October, holds around 2.89% of the company shares. Since December 2022, he has been increasing his stake from 2.31% till the month of October. 

KMEW’s order book tells a reassuring story about where the company’s future work is coming from and how balanced its business has become. The biggest chunk now comes from charter hire at 46%, showing how ports and authorities increasingly rely on KMEW’s vessels for everyday operations. Dredging contributes another 43%, reflecting the steady need to keep India’s ports and waterways deep and safe for growing trade. 

The final 11% comes from shipbuilding, a smaller but meaningful area where KMEW continues to deliver specialised boats like patrol vessels and dredgers. Together, this mix shows a company with a stable, diversified pipeline—one that blends recurring operational income with long-term project-based work, giving it solid visibility and momentum moving forward.

Knowledge Marine & Engineering Works Limited (KMEW) may have been founded only in 2015, but it has grown quickly into a well-recognised name in the marine services space. The company works across dredging, operating and owning vessels, and chartering port-support crafts, essential services that keep ports running smoothly. 

Backed by promoters with over 75 years of combined experience in the dredging industry, KMEW has steadily transformed itself from a small ship-repair outfit into a serious player in the region. Today, it operates not just in India but also in Myanmar and Bahrain, showing how far the company has come in a short span and how trusted it has become in international maritime circles.

Written by Leon Mendonca. 

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