India’s First Electric Tug Launch Sparks Celebration — and Controversy: Why Did MoPSW Approve a 60-Ton Tug When CSL Is Already Building 70-Ton Electric Tugs for the World?
A Deep Dive Into India’s Green Maritime Strategy, Global Power-Class Standards, and a Growing Question Over Whether Taxpayer Money Is Being Spent Wisely
Maritime News: As Sonowal flags off a 60-ton green tug for Kandla, experts ask: Should India settle for entry-level technology when the world is already deploying 75–90 ton electric and hybrid tugs?
India marked a milestone in maritime decarbonisation as Union Minister for Ports, Shipping & Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal virtually flagged off the steel-cutting for India’s first all-electric green tug, designed for Deendayal Port Authority (DPA) under the Green Tug Transition Programme (GTTP).
The tug — built at Atreya Shipyard — is intended to set the foundation for a new era of clean port operations.
But even as the ceremony celebrated progress, a core question echoed across maritime circles:
Is India moving fast enough — and strong enough — to match global capability in green tug technology?
A Historic Launch — But an Entry-Level Power Class
According to the official release, the tug will feature:
- 60-tonne bollard pull
- Full-electric propulsion
- Zero-emission operations
- Silent maneuverability
- Next-gen navigation systems
Sonowal said the tug represents Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for sustainable, future-ready maritime infrastructure, calling it “a shining example of India’s green innovation.”
The GTTP aims to induct 50 green tugs by 2030, with 16 in the first phase across major ports including DPA, Paradip, JNPA and V.O. Chidambaranar Port.
But within hours of the announcement, a wave of concern rippled across the maritime community:
Why is India’s first electric tug only 60 tonnes bollard pull — when Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) is already building 70-tonne electric tugs for a foreign company?
And more troubling:
Why is India accepting weaker technology for its own ports, even as the global industry accelerates toward 80–95 tonne electric and hybrid tugs?
This investigative report lays out the facts, the contradictions, and what India must do to ensure it does not fall behind in the global green tug race.
THE CENTRAL CONTRADICTION: INDIA EXPORTS HIGHER TECHNOLOGY THAN IT USES AT HOME
The controversy began the moment Svitzer (a global towage leader) signed a landmark contract with Cochin Shipyard Limited on 8 December 2025.
Under that contract, CSL will build:
Four TRAnsverse 2600e electric tugs
- Each with 70-tonne bollard pull
- With options for four more
- For deployment in Europe, Australia, South America
In other words:
- India can manufacture high-power, world-class electric tugs.
- India is exporting them to advanced maritime nations.
Yet for its own domestic requirement under MoPSW:
India is building only a 60-tonne electric tug — a downgraded power class.
This has prompted sharp criticism of Sarbananda Sonowal’s decision-making.
A senior maritime engineer described it bluntly:
“Why is India exporting 70-ton technology but importing 60-ton standards for itself?
This makes no engineering, economic or strategic sense.”
Why a 60-Ton Tug Is Not Enough for Kandla — And Several Other Indian Ports Facing Rough Waters and Powerful Sea Currents
Kandla, located in the Gulf of Kutch, is often described as a naturally protected tidal harbour.
However, this protection is seasonal and limited.
During the Arabian Sea cyclone season, Kandla faces:
- High swell waves
- Sudden tidal surges
- Rapid wind shifts
- Large-vessel berthing difficulties
In these real-world conditions, a 60-ton bollard pull tug is insufficient — especially when handling large container ships, bulk carriers or LNG vessels.
But Kandla is not the only port exposed to such risks.
India’s 7,517 km coastline includes some of the roughest maritime environments in the Indian Ocean, and several major ports routinely experience challenging hydro-meteorological conditions.
Indian Ports That Routinely Face Rough Water, Powerful Sea Currents, High Swell, or Cyclone-Risk Conditions
1. Paradip Port (Odisha) – Bay of Bengal Cyclone Corridor
- One of the world’s most cyclone-prone regions
- High tidal variations, dangerous cross currents
- Requires high-bollard-pull escort tugs (75–85 tons globally in similar conditions)
2. Vizag / Visakhapatnam Port (Andhra Pradesh)
- Strong monsoon swell from the Bay of Bengal
- Frequent cyclonic depressions
- Deep-draft vessels requiring powerful tugs for safe turning & berthing
3. Kolkata–Haldia Dock System (West Bengal)
- One of the world’s most complex river–sea interfaces
- Severe siltation, unpredictable tidal streams
- Requires very strong tugs due to riverine turbulence + tidal pull
4. Mormugao Port (Goa)
- Exposed to open-sea swell from the Arabian Sea
- Monsoon turbulence can make berthing extremely difficult
- High-power tugs are required for cape-size ore carriers
5. New Mangalore Port (Karnataka)
- Heavy monsoon swell
- Cross currents affecting vessel manoeuvring
- Increasing calls from larger tankers need stronger tugs
6. JNPA, Mumbai & Mumbai Port
- Narrow channel + high tidal range
- Monsoon storms and cyclonic remnants
- Dense traffic, high-risk navigational environment
7. Tuticorin (VOC Port), Tamil Nadu
- Seasonal heavy swell and strong cross winds
- Container terminals exposed to open sea on one side
8. Chennai & Ennore Ports
- Strong NE monsoon
- Seasonal longshore drift
- Cyclonic surges from Bay of Bengal
9. Cochin (Kerala)
- Heavy monsoon rainfall + open swell interacting with shallow backwaters
- Vessel turns inside narrow channels require higher bollard pull
Why This Matters: A 60-Ton Tug Does Not Match India’s Operational Reality
Ports like Rotterdam, Yokohama, Busan, Santos, Shanghai — facing comparable weather — use 75–90 ton electric or hybrid tugs as standard.
Yet India’s first electric tug is only 60 tons, despite:
- Kandla being cyclone-prone
- Paradip requiring 75+
- Vizag needing 80+ for cape-size vessels
- Mumbai/JNPA needing powerful escort capability
- Indian shipyards already building 70-ton electric tugs for foreign clients
This fuels an increasingly justified question within the maritime community:
“If Indian shipyards can build 70-ton electric tugs for global companies, why is MoPSW commissioning only 60 tons for Indian ports?”
“Why is India exporting higher technology but importing a lower standard for itself — with public money?”
WHERE INDIA STANDS VS. GLOBAL ELECTRIC TUG POWER CLASSES
To understand the magnitude of the gap, it is essential to compare India’s chosen 60-ton design with global benchmarks.
INDIA (DPA Electric Tug)
Bollard pull: 60 tonnes
Entry-level electric tug.
Suitable for light harbour manoeuvres.
NORWAY — ZEETUG Class
Bollard pull: 70–75 tonnes
Full-electric + autonomous-ready.
Advanced port-grid integration.
JAPAN — Hydrogen-Electric Tugs
Bollard pull: 70 tonnes
Combines hydrogen fuel cells + batteries.
Superior endurance and sustainability.
SINGAPORE — Battery-Swap Electric Tug
Bollard pull: 65–70 tonnes
24/7 operation with portable marine batteries.
CHINA — Hybrid Mega Tugs
Bollard pull: 80–95 tonnes
Electric + LNG hybrids dominate major ports.
India’s position in the global league table:
| Country | Bollard Pull (Electric/Hybrid) | Standing |
|---|---|---|
| China | 80–95 tonnes | Leader |
| Norway | 70–75 tonnes | Advanced |
| Japan | 70 tonnes | Advanced |
| Singapore | 65–70 tonnes | Strong |
| India | 60 tonnes | Entry-level |
This is why the maritime community is asking:
Why is India choosing to enter the race with the slowest runner?
THE KEY QUESTION: IF CSL CAN BUILD 70-TON ELECTRIC TUGS, WHY IS INDIA BUYING 60-TON ONES?
Cochin Shipyard’s capabilities are proven beyond debate.
CSL is already building:
70-tonne bollard-pull, all-electric, next-gen TRAnsverse tugs
for one of the most respected towage operators in the world.
These vessels are:
- More powerful
- More manoeuvrable
- More future-ready
- More export-competitive
So why did MoPSW settle for a weaker 60-ton specification?
This decision is not merely technically questionable —
it appears inconsistent with India’s stated ambition to become a global green maritime leader.
One maritime analyst put it sharply:
“A country that can build Ferrari-level tech for export should not be driving Maruti-level tech at home.”
IS INDIA WASTING TAXPAYER MONEY?
The government is investing hundreds of crores into the Green Tug Transition Programme.
But by choosing a 60-tonne tug:
India reduces the tug’s operational capability
- India becomes less competitive against global ports
- India risks early obsolescence
- India underutilises the capacity of its own shipyards
- India overspends for lower performance
The most troubling part?
The global industry is moving toward ≥90-tonne electric/hybrid tugs.
By 2030, 60-tonne tugs will be considered outdated in major port operations.
Yet India is buying them in 2025.
WHAT INDIA MUST BUILD INSTEAD TO COMPETE GLOBALLY
To catch up with world leaders, India needs to develop:
- 75–80 tonne full-electric tugs (competitive standard)
- Hydrogen-electric hybrid propulsion systems
- Autonomous navigation and digital twin integration
- Smart charging corridors at all major ports
- Indigenous propulsion pods and thrusters
- High-endurance marine battery factories
- AI-assisted manoeuvring and situational awareness systems
India has the engineering talent.
India has world-class shipyards.
India has global clients.
What India needs now is policy courage.
CONCLUSION: INDIA HAS BEGUN THE JOURNEY — BUT WE CANNOT AFFORD TO BEGIN BEHIND
Sarbananda Sonowal’s unveiling of India’s first electric tug is a landmark moment.
But the decision to approve a 60-tonne tug —
when the world operates 70–95 tonne electric/hybrid models
and India itself is building 70-tonne vessels for export —
raises serious strategic, economic and technical concerns.
India must ask:
Why are we accepting a lower standard for ourselves?
Who decided 60 tonnes was “enough”?
Why should taxpayers fund outdated technology?
Why is MoPSW not demanding 75–80 tonne class tugs?
India has the potential to lead the global electric tug revolution.
But leadership requires ambition — not compromise.
This is a moment to accelerate, not settle.
