Kongsberg Maritime to equip India’s first electric tugboat

Norwegian technology company Kongsberg Maritime has won a contract to provide the complete equipment package for India’s first fully electric tugboat.

IMAGE: Illustration of India’s first fully electric tugboat. Kongsberg Maritime

A tugboat is a boat used to tow or push larger vessels in harbours, rivers, or canals.

Although the immediate impact that this small-scale electric vessel will have on global greenhouse gas emissions might be limited, the vessel holds significance as it provides crucial technical and operational insights that can inform the development of larger-scale electric vessels in the future.

Naval architect NavNautik has designed the tugboat, which has been ordered by Mandovi Drydocks in collaboration with India-based shipping company Ripley Group.

Scheduled for delivery and commissioning in the fourth quarter of 2026, the vessel will operate at Deendayal Port in Gujarat.

The project falls under India’s Green Tug Transition Programme (GTTP), which seeks to shift the country’s harbour tug fleet from conventional diesel power to alternative fuels.

By Tuhin Roy

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