★ India's No.1 in Underwater Drilling & Blasting

Breaking rock below the waterline

Underwater drilling and controlled blasting for port deepening, navigation channels, berth pockets and capital dredging, delivered by our drill & blast team.

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100,000BCMUnderwater rock per month
350Underwater holes drilled per day
1M+m³Underwater rock blasted on documented port projects
2002Underwater drilling & blasting since

Certified by Boskalis International B.V. for drilling and blasting on the deepening and widening of the Mumbai Harbour and JNPT channel, Phase I, completed within the agreed time frame.

View the certificate →
Our Services

Underwater Drill & Blast specialists, on water and on land

We are a specialty contractor for marine and land-based projects. Our core strength is underwater drilling and controlled blasting, with the design, equipment and crews to deliver it at scale.

Row of truck-mounted DTH drill rigs on the RKS drill and blast barge
Core service

Underwater Drilling & Blasting

Rock removal under water for dredging contractors and port authorities, designed so the blasted rock suits the dredger you deploy.

  • Deepening of harbours, navigation channels and berth pockets
  • Turning circles, ship-lift berths, channels and levees
  • Rock trenches for pipelines that must be laid under water
  • Close-proximity blasting near live berths, naval docks and infrastructures
  • Fragment size designed for the dredger being deployed
RKS drill barge with drill rigs working at sea

Drilling

DTH drill rigs on our anchored barge drill through casings seated on the seabed rock, down to the design depth, eight holes at a time.

Primed explosive cartridges coupled together, ready for charging

Blasting

Calculated explosive charges fired on timed delays to control ground vibration and fly-rock, with vibration monitored on every blast. At Jaigad Port we held vibration to 2 mm/s.

Backhoe dredger removing blasted rock

Dredging

The broken rock is removed by the dredger. Our blast design sizes the fragments to suit the dredger on site.

How it works

Underwater drilling & blasting, step by step

A simplified cross-section of how our barge drills, charges and blasts rock below the seabed. The project video below shows the full operation.

Cross-section of underwater drilling and blasting A drill barge positioned by DGPS and anchored over the site. Casings sit on the rock after overburden is dredged. Drill rods with a DTH hammer drill holes into the rock, holes are charged with explosives and fired with delays, and a dredger removes the broken rock. Overburden already removed by dredger delays: 0 ms · 25 ms · 50 ms … 1 2 3 4 5 6 DGPS positioning Barge anchoredover marked coordinates Casing seatedon hard rock DTH hammerdrills to depth Holes charged& fired with delays Dredger removesbroken rock Illustrative diagram, not to scale

Position by DGPS

Survey experts mark DGPS coordinates for each drilling location.

Anchor the barge

The drill barge, with built-in GPS, is anchored on the marked coordinates.

Seat the casing

After the dredging contractor removes overburden, casing is seated on the hard rock so loose material cannot collapse into the hole.

Drill to depth

Drill rods with a DTH hammer and bit go down the casing and drill to the design depth.

Charge & blast

Calculated charges are placed in 30 to 40 holes. The barge moves clear, the siren sounds and all holes fire on delays, with vibration monitored.

Dredge the rock

The dredging contractor removes the broken rock, for example to a crusher.

Our equipment

The Drill & Blast Barge

Our drill & blast barges work in any tide, wave or weather condition. Eight truck- or skid-mounted DTH drill machines on each barge drill eight holes at once, and special devices on the rigs hold a constant pressure on the bottom of the hole against wave movement.

A 2.0 m working deck runs along one side. Winches and anchor wires run on hydraulic, diesel or electric power, and high masts cut down on rod changes.

Drill rigsCompressorsDG setsAnchors & winchesBarge positioning systemSurvey officeWorkshop & office containersTemporary explosive storeCharge preparation stationWater pumpFlood lightsRed flag
RKS drill and blast barge with eight drill rigs
Couplable plastic tube explosive cartridges in several sizes
Explosives

Explosives built for dredging

We use KELVEX-P water-gel explosives in couplable plastic tubes. The cartridges couple directly into a charge column, sink in water-filled holes, and are fired with non-electric shock-tube detonators.

TypeNitrate-mixture water gel, Class 2 (Explosives Act)
Cartridges76, 100 and 125 mm diameter (125 mm × 6.25 / 3.125 kg)
Velocity of detonation4,750 – 5,500 m/s
Water & hydrostatic resistanceHoles up to 50 m deep
Bulk strength~1,040 cal/cc, does not float in the hole
About Us

Built on rock, proven at sea

Founded in 2001 in Chennai, RKS Drilling Services has built a reputation for excellence across India's mining and infrastructure industry, and has carried out underwater drilling and blasting since 2002.

Underwater projects

2014

JNPT & Mumbai Harbour Channel deepening, Phase I

Client: Boskalis International B.V. Turning circle, berth pocket and channel area to −16.5 m.

128,000+ m³1,939 channel holesCertified
2012

Mumbai Port: Second Chemical Berth

Client: Jaisu Shipping Co. Deepening from −12 m to −14 m.

2009 – 2013

Mumbai Port: Offshore Container Terminal capital dredging

Client: Jaisu Shipping Co. Rock excavated at 9 to 16.5 m depth, with controlled blasting to protect the Naval Dockyard and existing Mumbai Port Trust berths. Blast design prepared and monitored by Anna University.

550,000 m³ certified₹50 Crore
2011

Jaigad Port: Ship-lift supporting berth, Ratnagiri

For Rock n Reef. Controlled blasting at 7 to 12.5 m depth with fragments sized for a 5 m³ backhoe dredger, protecting a jetty under construction about 400 m away and nearby villages.

50,000 m³Vibration ≤ 2 mm/s
2002 – 2003

Tuticorin Port: 8th berth rock dredging

Client: Jaisu Shipping Co. Berth deepened from −8 m to −12.2 m, blasting close to port infrastructure and culturally sensitive sites.

300,000 m³9–12 m depth
RKS drill barge with crew working beside a container ship at port
RKS drill barge at work beside a container vessel, Mumbai

Our capability

100,000 BCMUnderwater rock drilled & blasted per month
350Underwater holes drilled & blasted per day
24–30Drill machines dedicated to underwater work
3Drill barges managed at the same time
20+ hrsEquipment utilisation per day
365Working days a year
50 mMax. water depth for our explosives
500,000 mMining blast hole drilling capacity per month

Our Vision

To be the premier drilling and blasting contractor in India, and to become a leading global provider of frontier rock breaking in underwater drilling and blasting, mining, construction and allied industries.

Our Mission

To deliver quality, time-bound, sustainable services using state-of-the-art, safe and environmentally friendly methods, with competent people working under expert guidance.

Technical consultants

Department of Mining Engineering, College of Engineering Guindy, Anna University, Chennai. Their experts prepare and monitor our blast designs on major port projects.

No.1INDIA
Projects & Certificates

India's No.1 in underwater drilling & blasting

Two decades of underwater rock removal at India's busiest ports, completed on schedule and certified by the contractors we worked for.

★ Key achievement

Boskalis International B.V.: JNPT & Mumbai Harbour Channel, Phase I

Boskalis, one of the world's leading dredging and marine contractors, engaged RKS for drilling and blasting on the deepening and widening of the Mumbai Harbour Channel and the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Channel.

53,047 m³Turning circleDesign depth −13.5 m
74,675 m³Berth pocketUp to 10 m layer, −16.5 m
1,939Holes in channel areaDesign depth −16.5 m
"…successful completion of the work according to our requirements within the agreed time frame."Project Manager, Boskalis International B.V., 5 August 2014
Boskalis International experience certificate issued to RKS Drilling Services
EnlargeOpen PDF
Jaisu Shipping experience certificate issued to RKS Drilling Services
Experience certificate

Jaisu Shipping: Mumbai Port Offshore Container Terminal

Underwater drilling and controlled blasting for capital dredging of the proposed Offshore Container Terminal, Mumbai Port Trust.

550,000 m³Rock volume
₹50 CroreValue of work
−10 to −16.5 mDesign depth
Feb 2012 – Jun 2013Certified period
Open certificate PDF →

Clients

Ports & marine

Boskalis International B.V.Mumbai Port TrustJawaharlal Nehru Port (JNPT)Tuticorin Port TrustVizag Port TrustJaisu Shipping Co.Rock n ReefL&T ECCKnowledge Marine & Engineering Works

Mining

JSW SteelRungta SonsEssel MiningAMPL ResourcesChettinad CementHindustan ZincTISCOEMTA GroupUsha MartinBalasore Alloys
Project Video

See the operation from start to finish

Positioning, drilling, charging, blasting and dredging, filmed on site.

Health & Safety

Safety first, on every shot

We provide and maintain a safe, healthy workplace for everyone on site. Management leads on occupational health, safety, fire protection and loss control, and every person on site is responsible for their own safety.

Our blasting crews receive continuous company training plus the safety training required by DGMS. We follow mines safety rules, environmental rules and all applicable government regulations.

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Zero lost-time accidents is our goal, with superior safety and occupational health management.

Our health & safety policy commits us to:

  • Plan and design every operation to remove or reduce hazards
  • No employee starts a job without the required training
  • Protective equipment and safety devices for all employees
  • Safe, well-maintained equipment at the front of daily operations
  • Supervisors accountable for the safety record of their teams
  • Investigating every incident and acting on the causes
  • Good lighting and proper sanitary facilities on the drilling barge
  • Emergency preparedness, plus monitoring and reporting of safety performance

Vibration monitoring

Ground vibration from every blast is monitored and kept within agreed limits.

Siren & exclusion zone

The barge moves clear and a siren warns the area before every blast.

Delay detonation

Holes fire on timed delays rather than all at once, which lowers peak vibration.

Licensed explosives

Class 2 water-gel explosives in temporary stores on the barge, prepared at a dedicated charging station.

Emergency & Disaster Management

Ready before anything goes wrong

Every port project has a Disaster Management Plan led by an Emergency Coordinator and an Emergency Committee, which meets regularly to review roles, training, drills and updates.

Illustration: RKS barge with siren and exclusion zone, rescue boat and emergency response icons

Hurricanes & tropical storms

Can damage equipment and halt work at sea.

Hover for the plan +
Response plan

Hurricane Preparedness & Evacuation Plan

AlertResponseRecovery
  • Storm tracked from 72 hrs out, crew and checklists ready
  • Vessels sent to safe harbour, crew sheltered
  • Evacuation completed before the storm strikes
  • Site surveyed and damage reported after the all-clear

Fire

Can start anywhere on the barge and damage equipment.

Hover for the plan +
Response plan

Fire Prevention & Response Plan

Response
  • Sea-water pumps, hoses and Class ABC extinguishers on board
  • Alarm sounded, fire fought at its base
  • Fuel removed and the area evacuated
  • Incident reported to the Emergency Committee and port

Medical

Can happen without warning and needs a fast, coordinated response.

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Response plan

Medical Emergency Plan

ResponseRecovery
  • Quick, coordinated response led by the Emergency Coordinator
  • Transport of the injured from the barge
  • Evacuation to medical care

Storm alert phases

Within 72 hrs

Hurricane Watch

Emergency Committee on standby, storm tracked, vessel captain alerted, checklists and crew lists prepared.

Within 36 hrs

Red 1 Warning

Vessels leave for safe harbour or are secured at the designated port. Shelter identified for barge crew.

Within 24 hrs

Red 2 Warning

Checklists issued to section heads, final preparations made and evacuation of employees completed.

After the storm

Green: All Clear

Declared by port authorities. Committee surveys the site and reports damage with photographs.

Fire protection on board

The barge carries its own fire-fighting equipment: sea-water pumps with flexible hoses, and multi-purpose Class ABC dry-chemical extinguishers at generators, electrical panels, corridors and maintenance areas.

Fire response

  1. Sound the alarm
  2. Fight small fires with extinguishers, large fires with pumps and hoses at the base of the fire
  3. Remove fuel nearby and evacuate everyone from the area
  4. Confirm the fire is out, inspect and close off the area
  5. Report to the Emergency Committee and port authorities
Contact Us

Let's talk about your project

Send us your site details, rock type, design depth and volume, and we will get back to you with a plan.

Head office

RKS Drilling Services
AP-856/51, 2nd Street, H-Block,
11th Main Road, Anna Nagar West,
Chennai 600 040, Tamil Nadu, India

Contact person

Mr. R. Ramesh, Chief Executive Officer

Site offices

Odisha · West Bengal · Jharkhand · Tamil Nadu

Send an enquiry