Largest Handcrafted Ship - Uru

Can one build a 200m long ship without any machines or a basic blueprint? Absolutely! The super talented craftsmen of Beypore, Kerala can do it!

1500 year old shipbuilding industry of Beypore is known for making Uru's (fat boat). These wooden ships are built entirely by hand using local carpentry tools. With Urus going up to 200 ft and weighing 1500 tonnes, they are considered one of the largest handicrafts in the world.

The design and architectural plans are known by only one master carpenter. He maintain secrecy, he assigns work to others on a daily basis depending on the size, it takes 1-4 years to build an Uru. A 100 ft Uru, with all the machinery and furnishings, costs around 15 crores.

Where a ship has a shelf life of 25 years, Urus can last upto 2 generations. Because of the design and the high quality of work, the demand for these Urus is increasing in the Gulf countries.

In a world dependent on machinery for the smallest of tasks, this industry supports 200 families without relying on a single machine!