Deniz Kirdar True, Managing Director – Asia, Middle East and Africa (AMEA), Svitzer
Denmark-based global towage provider Svitzer is partnering with Cochin Shipyard Ltd to construct four electric harbour tugs in Kochi as part of its global fleet renewal and expansion programme.
Deniz Kirdar True, Managing Director – Asia, Middle East and Africa (AMEA), Svitzer, said the company is betting on India’s growing capabilities in building advanced, lower-emission vessels for international markets. India, according to her, is increasingly moving beyond a maritime policy focused primarily on ports and trade towards developing a broader industrial ecosystem encompassing shipbuilding, marine technology, skills, financing and green-vessel manufacturing.
What the Svitzer-CSL partnership signals for India’s emerging green shipbuilding capabilities?
India is accelerating its shipbuilding ambitions through a three-pronged strategy: the Shipbuilding Financial Assistance Scheme, a ₹25,000 crore Maritime Development Fund, and the Shipbuilding Development Scheme for new clusters and yard modernization. These initiatives provide subsidies, affordable financing, and infrastructure support to make Indian shipyards globally competitive and position India among the world’s top shipbuilding nations by 2047.
Svitzer brings global towage expertise and the requirements of a next-generation battery-electric tug, while CSL brings the infrastructure, skilled workforce and shipbuilding capability to deliver it in India. That combination of Indian capability, international demand and next-generation technology is what makes this project particularly meaningful for India’s green shipbuilding journey.
How electric harbor tugs can contribute to the Green Tug Transition Program (GTTP) and reduce emissions from port operations?
Tugs are the single best place to begin electrifying a port. They work intensively at high power, over short radii, and return to the same berth — which is precisely what battery-electric propulsion is good at when charged with green power, enable zero direct emissions during port and terminal towage operations.
GTTP is a world-leading initiative and very few governments globally have established such a structured and phased commitment towards green towage.
The programme provides a clear pathway for the transition towards cleaner harbour craft and creates greater certainty for operators, shipbuilders and technology providers. For Svitzer, this aligns closely with our own global ambition to decarbonize our fleet and support the development of lower-emission solutions for harbour towage.
Whether India can emerge as a hub for next-generation, low-emission vessel manufacturing?
India has many of the building blocks required to become a globally competitive hub for next-generation, low-emission vessel manufacturing. The Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047 sets an ambition for India to be among the world’s top five countries in ship ownership and shipbuilding by 2047.
This ambition is supported by encouraging growth in domestic shipbuilding, with the latest UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) data showing shipbuilding output increased by 41%, from 40,923 GT in 2024 to 57,637 GT in 2025.
What is the role of international maritime companies and Indian shipyards in advancing the Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047 ambitions?
International maritime companies can bring global demand, operational experience, technology requirements and international standards, while Indian shipyards bring the industrial capability, skilled talent, infrastructure and local execution needed to translate these requirements into vessels built in India.
Source: Read the original article on www.thehindubusinessline.com
