Svitzer, Cochin Shipyard shake hands on electric tug manufacturing in India

Denmark-based towage service provider Svitzer has signed a letter of intent (LoI) with Cochin Shipyard to construct a new generation of electric tugs in India.

The agreement will see Svitzer and Cochin Shipyard collaborate on plans to build electrical TRAnsverse tugboats at Cochin Shipyard’s facilities in India.

According to Svitzer, the collaboration marks a step forward in its electrification roadmap and in strengthening India’s role as a global maritime manufacturing hub.

The deal also signals Svitzer’s long-term commitment to ‘Make in India’ and to bring to market “one of the most advanced and environmentally progressive tug designs” to support India’s green port and green towage ambitions.

The electrical TRAnsverse vessels are intended for Svitzer’s global fleet renewal and growth markets, and to create the opportunity for a locally built design to be deployed in Indian port and terminal operations.

“With this LoI, we are taking a decisive step on our electrification journey. India’s shipbuilding ecosystem—and CSL’s proven track record—make Cochin a great place to further develop and build the TRAnsverse,” said Kasper Nilaus, CEO of Svitzer.

“We see strong alignment with the Government of India’s Maritime India Vision 2030 and Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047. By pairing Svitzer’s nearly 200 years of towage experience with Indian engineering and manufacturing strength, we aim to deliver cleaner, safer and more efficient harbour operations for customers in India and around the world.”

Madhu S Nair, Chairman and Managing Director of Cochin Shipyard Limited, added: “We look forward to working closely with Svitzer to make plans for building the next generation TRAnsverse tug in India. This collaboration will showcase CSL’s world class capabilities, deepen local supply chains and talent, and accelerate the availability of green, high performance tugboats for ports at home and abroad.”