Swan Defence and Heavy Industries Ltd (SDHI) has secured a contract from Denmark-based global towage operator Svitzer A/S to build four advanced TRAnsverse 3200 harbour tugs, reinforcing India’s emergence as a competitive destination for sophisticated shipbuilding.
The vessels will be built at SDHI’s Pipavav shipyard in Gujarat, with deliveries scheduled to begin in early 2028. The company classifies this order as Category 2 which is worth between ₹251 crore and ₹ 750 crore
The order marks SDHI’s fourth consecutive export contract and comes after what the company described as an extensive competitive evaluation involving leading shipyards worldwide.
Boost for India’s high-value shipbuilding
The contract is significant because it goes beyond conventional ship construction and positions an Indian shipyard in the niche segment of technologically advanced harbour towage vessels.
The TRAnsverse 3200 tug has been jointly developed by Canadian naval architects Robert Allan Ltd. and Svitzer and is regarded as one of the most advanced harbour tug designs globally.
Winning such an order reflects the growing ability of Indian shipyards to compete not merely on cost but on engineering capability, quality standards and execution of complex marine projects.
The vessels will be built to Bureau Veritas classification standards.
Focus on sustainability and efficiency
The next-generation tugs are designed for demanding harbour towage and escort operations, featuring a patented hydrodynamic hull and omni-directional propulsion system that enables safer manoeuvring of large ships through congested ports and adverse weather conditions.
With an 80-tonne bollard pull, the vessels are expected to be up to 15% more fuel-efficient than conventional tug designs, supporting the global shipping industry’s push towards lower emissions and improved operational efficiency.
The vessels will also be biofuel-ready, compliant with IMO Tier III emission standards and equipped for FiFi1 firefighting capability, enhancing both environmental performance and emergency response.
Export momentum gathers pace
The latest order highlights the increasing export potential of India’s shipbuilding industry, which has traditionally lagged Asian competitors such as South Korea, China and Japan in commercial vessel construction.
As India seeks to expand its maritime manufacturing ecosystem under the Maritime India Vision 2030 and Make in India initiatives, export orders from established global operators provide important validation of domestic capabilities.
The Pipavav shipyard, one of India’s largest integrated shipbuilding facilities, has been positioning itself to cater to specialised commercial and defence vessel requirements.
Shows company’s engineering strength
Swan Defence and Heavy Industries Ltd CEO Rear Admiral Vipin Kumar Saxena (Retd.) said securing the contract to build one of the world’s most sophisticated towage vessels reflects the company’s engineering strength in the high-specification vessel segment.
He said winning the company’s fourth consecutive export contract demonstrates growing confidence among global maritime leaders in SDHI’s ability to deliver projects that meet the highest international standards while strengthening India’s position as a globally competitive shipbuilding destination.
Svitzer CEO Kasper Friis Nilaus said the TRAnsverse tug design offers customers significant operational, sustainability and safety benefits while improving port productivity.
He added that the partnership with SDHI also reflects the company’s continued investment in India’s maritime sector and aligns with the Government’s Maritime India Vision 2030, Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat initiatives.
Strategic partnership
Headquartered in Copenhagen, Svitzer operates a global fleet of more than 500 vessels and is undertaking a long-term fleet renewal programme focused on deploying next-generation, high-efficiency tugboats.
Interestingly, the new vessels will be constructed adjacent to the Pipavav port, where Svitzer already operates harbour towage services, creating operational synergies during construction and commissioning.
The order further strengthens India’s credentials as an emerging global hub for specialised shipbuilding, an area expected to gain strategic importance as global demand rises for environmentally efficient and technologically advanced maritime vessels.