Asia/Pacific News
India Begins Construction of First Electric Tug, With 50 Planned by 2030
Construction of India’s first electric tugboat has begun as the country moves ahead with plans to induct 50 electric tugs into service by 2030.
A steel-cutting ceremony for the vessel was held last week under the government’s Green Tug Programme, the Ministry of Shipping said in a press release last week.
The 60-ton bollard pull capacity tug has been designed for Deendayal Port Authority in Kandla.
India aims to induct its first 16 electric tugboats by 2027, with two vessels each planned for major ports including Kandla, Paradip, Tuticorin and Mumbai, and the remainder to be deployed at other ports.
Recently, towage service provider Svitzer signed a shipbuilding agreement with India’s Cochin Shipyard to build electric-powered tugboats to support its worldwide operations.
Electrification is gaining traction for vessels operating on short-sea routes, but deploying battery power at scale for deep-sea shipping continues to present major technical challenges.
The overall emissions benefit also depends on the source of electricity used for charging, which ultimately determines the vessels’ lifecycle emissions profile.
