Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) and towage company Svitzer have begun construction of four advanced battery-electric tugs, with a formal steel-cutting ceremony held at CSL.
The vessels are considered among the most advanced green tugs being built anywhere. The agreement between CSL and Svitzer for a series of four next-generation, battery-electric TRAnsverse 2600e tugs was signed in December 2025.
The CSL–Svitzer collaboration is said to mark a significant step in strengthening India’s maritime manufacturing ecosystem, aligning with national priorities under Maritime India Vision 2030, Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047, and the Government of India’s ‘Make in India’ programme. Built to Svitzer’s specifications, the vessels will be capable of serving the ambitions of India’s Green Tug Transition Programme, while building domestic capability in electric propulsion and high-specification vessel construction that stays rooted in India.
Shri Jose V.J, CSL Chairman and MD, said: “It is a proud moment for CSL to partner with Svitzer for the construction of four fully electric TRAnsverse 2600e harbour tugs, and we look forward to strengthening this association further through our shipbuilding capabilities and expertise. CSL will thus be playing a crucial role in advancing the sector’s decarbonisation goals.”
The TRAnsverse 2600e is the battery-electric version of Svitzer’s next-generation tug design, developed for demanding harbour operations. The TRAnsverse design is capable of operating in complex and close-quarter environments, across different ship types and sizes and under challenging weather and tidal conditions. The vessels feature battery-electric propulsion and, when charged using green power sources, will enable zero direct emissions for port and terminal towage operations.
Kasper Karlsen, Svitzer COO, said: “The TRAnsverse is designed to remove constraints in our customers’ operations. It delivers faster and more predictable vessel movements, which protects berth productivity and turnaround times, and it allows a port to get more from the berths, channels and pilots it already has without a proportional increase in fleet size or new infrastructure. This is proven technology, with over 3,000 commercial towage jobs been completed with the class, and Svitzer has 18 TRAnsverse vessels under construction worldwide.”
Deniz Kirdar True, MD Asia, Middle East and Africa (AMEA), Svitzer, added: “We evaluated shipyards across the world before selecting CSL. Four fully electric TRAnsverse 2600e tugs now begin construction here in Cochin — among the most advanced green tugs being built anywhere — and the capability to build them stays in India. This reflects Svitzer’s increasing investment in the Indian maritime supply chain and in building advanced green tugs capable of serving India’s Green Tug Transition Programme and Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047 ambitions. We welcome the opportunity to deepen our engagement with India and further expand our green tug-building pipeline.”
Image: Steel cutting ceremony for the TRAnsverse electric tugs at CSL (source: Svitzer)
