Cochin Shipyard to begin construction on two green tugs ahead of firm orders

‘With a view to reduce the overall (construction) period after a firm contract is signed, Cochin Shipyard’s board has approved building two 60-tonne bollard pull green tugs. These two tugs are presently being built on our own account. This is in anticipation of converting them into contracts with clients once the tendering process currently underway at major ports is completed,” Madhu Nair, chairman and managing director, Cochin Shipyard said. The steel cutting ceremony, which marks the start of construction of a ship, will be held in the presence of Sarbananda Sonowal, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways.

Last week, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority and V O Chidambaranar Port Authority, both state-owned, floated tenders to hire two and one electric green tugs, respectively, from fleet owners for as much as 15 years under the government’s Green Tug Transition Programme (GTTP). Earlier, Deendayal Port Authority had called price quotations from fleet owners to charter one electric green tug for 15 years. Paradip Port Authority and Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port Authority (formerly Kolkata Port) are also expected to call bids for hiring electric tugs in the next few days.

The tender issued by Deendayal Port Authority has attracted offers from six groups, including state-run Shipping Corporation of India Ltd, Polestar Maritime Ltd and Netincon Marketing Pvt Ltd (Ripley Group).

Knowledge Marine & Engineering Works Pvt Ltd, San Marine India Pvt Ltd and Underwater Services Company Ltd (Samson Maritime Ltd) have also filed their qualification papers and price quotations when the deadline ended on 27 March, multiple sources said.

Shipping Corporation of India and Polestar Maritime are expected to build the electric green tug for the Deendayal Port contract at Cochin Shipyard Ltd, if they win the tender. Harbor tugs, vital for port operations such as berthing, unberthing, and ship assist functions, are ideal candidates for adopting green technologies like electric propulsion and alternative fuels, which can significantly cut emissions while maintaining operational efficiency.

In August 2024, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways launched the standard operating procedures (SOP) for the GTTP to drive the transition from conventional fuel-based harbour tugs to greener, more sustainable alternatives, marking a major step in India’s commitment to environmental sustainability and the advancement of its maritime sector.

The GTTP is designed to phase out conventional fuel-based harbour tugs operating in state-owned major ports and replace them with green tugs powered by cleaner and more sustainable alternate fuels. The first phase of the GTTP will run through December 2027 during which four major ports—Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority, Deendayal Port Authority, Paradip Port Authority, and V O Chidambaranar Port Authority—will procure or charter at least two green tugs each with an investment of some Rs 1,000 crore. The first set of green tugs will be battery-electric, with provisions for adopting other emerging green technologies such as hybrid, methanol, and green hydrogen as the industry evolves.

By the end of 2040, all tugs operating in major ports are envisioned to transition to green tugs, ensuring a standardised, eco-friendly fleet across the country.