APSEZ places order with Cochin Shipyard for 8 tugs in Rs 450 cr deal

Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Limited (APSEZ) on Friday announced it has placed an order for eight harbour tugs, to be constructed by Cochin Shipyard in a deal worth Rs 450 crore.

 

Harbour tugs, also called tugboats, are essential vessels in ports and harbours. These relatively small but powerful boats assist larger ships with various manoeuvres.

 

Delivery of these boats will start from December 2026, and will continue till May 2028, the company said.

 

The top Indian private port operator is expecting the tugs to significantly improve the efficiency and safety of vessel operations in Indian ports.

 

 

Ashwani Gupta, whole-time director and the chief executive officer of APSEZ, said, “This collaboration to procure from Cochin Shipyard signifies our commitment to enhancing maritime infrastructure in India and demonstrates our confidence in our nation’s PSUs. By leveraging local manufacturing capabilities, which are world-class, we aim to contribute to the ‘Make in India’ initiative while ensuring that our operations meet international standards of safety and efficiency.”

 

Earlier, APSEZ had ordered two 62-tonne bollard pull ASD (Azimuthing Stern Drive) tugs from Cochin Shipyard for Ocean Sparkle Limited, which was acquired by Adani Harbour Services in 2022.

 

Both boats were delivered ahead of schedule and deployed at Paradeep Port and New Mangalore Port.

 

The 62T Bollard pull ASD tugs are primarily intended for harbour towing and assisting ships at Indian ports with firefighting and coastal towing as secondary roles.

 

APSEZ said that the construction of three additional ASD tugs is currently underway, bringing the total order to 13 tugs.

 

Adani Harbour Services Limited and Ocean Sparkle Limited own around 100 tugs and are the largest tug owners and operators in India.

 

“This initiative underscores the importance of sustainable practices in shipbuilding and reinforces the strategic significance of the maritime industry in India’s economic growth,” the company added.

 

Additionally, the company is present across the 13 Indian ports, accounting for one-fourth of the total cargo movement in India. So far, it has handled more than 5,400 vessels.