Swan Defence and Heavy Industries Limited (SDHI), India’s largest shipbuilding and heavy engineering company, has secured a contract from Denmark based towage operator Svitzer A/S to construct four advanced TRAnsverse 3200 tugs. Deliveries are scheduled to commence in early 2028.
The contract follows an extensive competitive evaluation of leading global shipyards. The vessels will be built to Bureau Veritas class at SDHI’s yard in Pipavav, Gujarat, adjacent to the port where Svitzer also runs a harbour towage operation.
Co-developed by naval architects Robert Allan Ltd. and Svitzer, the patented TRAnsverse 3200 design is built for complex harbour towage and escort operations. Its hydrodynamic hull and omni-directional propulsion allow it to safely guide large ships through severe weather and restricted port channels. With an 80 tonne bollard pull, the design is up to 15% more fuel efficient than conventional tugs, supporting global maritime decarbonisation goals. The tugs will also be biofuel ready, meet IMO Tier III emissions standards, and carry FiFi1 firefighting classification.
Rear Admiral Vipin Kumar Saxena IN (retd.), CEO, SDHI, called it a notable achievement for the company to construct one of the world’s most sophisticated towage vessels, adding that Svitzer’s rigorous evaluation process reaffirms SDHI’s engineering strength in the high-specification vessel segment. He noted this is SDHI’s fourth consecutive export contract, reflecting growing confidence among global category leaders in the company’s ability to deliver to international standards as it works to strengthen India’s position as a competitive shipbuilding destination.
Kasper Friis Nilaus, CEO, Svitzer, said the TRAnsverse design offers customers significant benefits in operational flexibility, port productivity, sustainability and safety. He added that the partnership with SDHI reflects Svitzer’s continued investment in the Indian maritime sector, supporting the Government of India’s Maritime India Vision 2030, Make in India, and Atmanirbhar Bharat initiatives.
Copenhagen headquartered Svitzer operates a fleet of over 500 vessels worldwide. The order forms part of the company’s long-term fleet renewal programme aimed at deploying next-generation, high-efficiency vessels to optimise port and terminal operations globally.
