The Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL) has received an order from Polestar Maritime Ltd to build two 70-tonne bollard pull tugs. This is in addition to the three bollard pull tugs of similar capacity under construction at the Udupi Cochin Shipyard Ltd.
Polestar Maritime is a major player in the niche market of harbour tugs, coastal towing and marine services at ports.
The tugs will be built by the designs of Robert Allan Ltd, a leading design house for harbour tugs. CSL and Udupi-CSL have introduced the Robert Allan tugs in India, complying with the Approved Standardised Tug Design and Specifications (ASTDS) of the central government.
The vessels will be jointly constructed by CSL and Udupi-CSL under a work-share agreement at the CSL yard in Kochi. The vessels will be propelled by two main engines of 1,838 kW and 2.7m propellers from Niigata IHI Power Systems, Japan.
CSL has already delivered four tugs under the ‘Made in India’ initiative and the present order book includes 18 tugs and two green tugs, which are in various stages of construction.
“We are very happy to receive a repeat order from Polestar Maritime. CSL is committed to transform the industry by introducing the battery electric tugs through the upcoming Green Tug Transition Programme (GTTP) announced by the Union government,” said CSL chairman and managing director Madhu S Nair.