Svitzer has advanced its fleet renewal plans by placing an order with Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) for four battery-electric TRAnsverse 2600e tugs, with options covering a further four vessels. The contract formalises the operator’s intention to introduce low-emission TRAnsverse units into regular port and terminal towage.
The four tugs will join Svitzer’s global towage fleet as part of a broader newbuilding programme built around the TRAnsverse design, which the company has already employed in demanding harbour environments.
This agreement converts a Letter of Intent signed earlier in the year into a firm contract and assigns construction of the initial batch of electric TRAnsverse units to CSL’s yard in Cochin. Svitzer regards the TRAnsverse 2600e as a central element in its longer-term approach to cleaner port operations, with deployment planned across its networks in Northern Europe, South America and Australia.
The TRAnsverse 2600e will use battery-electric propulsion and will operate with zero direct emissions in harbour activities when supplied with power from green electricity sources. The tug design features a patented towing staple, a double-ended hull form and in-line propulsion. According to Svitzer, this combination broadens the tug’s manoeuvring range and supports performance in confined and high-demand towage work.
Kasper Karlsen, Chief Operating Officer at Svitzer, said the contract with Cochin Shipyard Limited supports the company’s commitment to “Make in India” and to port and terminal operators pursuing green transition and decarbonisation goals. He noted that India offers established shipbuilding capacity and a skilled workforce, and that the collaboration allows Svitzer both to invest in a new series of tugs for its own operations and to contribute to building capability for low- and zero-emission tug construction in India.
For Cochin Shipyard Limited, the project provides an opportunity to extend its work in technically advanced tug projects. Dr Harikrishnan S, Operations Director at Cochin Shipyard Limited, said the yard looks forward to delivering the TRAnsverse 2600e using its workforce and experience with complex, high-specification vessels. He described the agreement as a natural step in expanding CSL’s role in modern tug design and in the industrialisation of battery-electric and future-fuel-ready technologies in India.
Construction of the first tug is scheduled to start within the next few months, with delivery planned for late 2027 or early 2028. Svitzer has indicated that additional orders may follow in line with fleet requirements and customer demand, giving the operator a defined route toward wider use of low-emission harbour towage assets.
