Ahmedabad, Dec 27 (IANS): Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd (APSEZ) on Friday announced the procurement of eight state-of-the-art harbour tugs, with a total contract value estimated at Rs 450 crore, which will be constructed by Cochin Shipyard Ltd.
These tugs are expected to be delivered in December 2026 and continue until May 2028, significantly improving the efficiency and safety of vessel operations in Indian ports, the Adani Group’s flagship company said in a statement.
The eight, 70-tonne bollard pull tugs will increase Adani Ports’ total fleet to 152.
"This collaboration to procure from Cochin Shipyard Ltd signifies our commitment to enhancing maritime infrastructure in India and demonstrates our confidence in our nation's PSUs," said Ashwani Gupta, Whole-time Director and CEO of APSEZ.
"By leveraging local manufacturing capabilities, which are world-class, we aim to contribute to the ‘Make in India’ initiative while ensuring that our operations meet international standards of safety and efficiency," Gupta noted.
Earlier, APSEZ contracted the construction of two, 62-tonne bollard pull ASD (Azimuthing Stern Drive) tugs to Cochin Shipyard Ltd for Ocean Sparkle Ltd, both of which were delivered ahead of schedule and deployed at Paradeep Port and New Mangalore Port.
The construction of three additional ASD tugs is currently underway, bringing the total order to 13 tugs, aimed at providing a younger fleet for efficient and reliable services in the port sector, the company said.
"This initiative underscores the importance of sustainable practices in shipbuilding and reinforces the strategic significance of the maritime industry in India's economic growth," according to India’s largest integrated transport utility company.
Adani Ports is the largest port developer and operator in India with seven strategically located ports and terminals on the west coast and eight ports and terminals on the east coast, representing 27 per cent of the country's total port volumes.
The company is also developing a transhipment port at Colombo and operates the Haifa Port in Israel and Container Terminal 2 at Dar Es Salaam Port in Tanzania.