Swan Defence and Heavy Industries Limited (SDHI), India’s largest shipbuilding and heavy engineering company, has secured a contract from Denmark-headquartered global towage operator Svitzer A/S to construct four advanced TRAnsverse 3200 harbour tugs. The vessels will be built at SDHI’s shipyard in Pipavav, Gujarat, with deliveries scheduled to commence in early 2028.
The contract was awarded following an extensive international evaluation of leading shipyards and marks another significant milestone in SDHI’s growing export business. The vessels will be built to Bureau Veritas class and represent one of the most advanced harbour tug designs currently in operation worldwide.
Developed jointly by naval architecture firm Robert Allan Ltd. and Svitzer, the patented TRAnsverse 3200 design has been engineered for demanding harbour towage and escort operations. Equipped with omni-directional propulsion and an advanced hydrodynamic hull, the vessels are designed to safely manoeuvre large ships through congested ports, narrow waterways and adverse weather conditions.
Delivering an 80-tonne bollard pull, the design offers up to 15 percent better fuel efficiency than conventional tugboats, supporting the maritime industry’s efforts to reduce emissions and improve operational efficiency. The tugs will also be equipped to operate on biofuels, comply with IMO Tier III emission standards and feature FiFi1 firefighting capability, enhancing both environmental performance and emergency response capabilities in port operations.
Commenting on the order, Rear Admiral Vipin Kumar Saxena IN (Retd), Chief Executive Officer, Swan Defence and Heavy Industries Limited, said, “This contract is an important achievement for SDHI and reflects the confidence that leading global maritime companies have in our engineering capabilities. Building one of the world’s most advanced towage vessels further strengthens our position in the specialised shipbuilding segment. This is our fourth consecutive export order and reinforces our commitment to delivering world-class vessels while contributing to India’s emergence as a globally competitive shipbuilding destination.”
Kasper Friis Nilaus, Chief Executive Officer, Svitzer, said the TRAnsverse 3200 platform offers significant operational advantages by improving productivity, safety and sustainability in harbour towage. He added that partnering with SDHI supports Svitzer’s long-term fleet renewal strategy while reinforcing the company’s commitment to India’s Maritime India Vision 2030, Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat initiatives.
Svitzer operates a global fleet of more than 500 vessels, and the new order forms part of its ongoing programme to modernise its fleet with next-generation, high-efficiency towage solutions. The partnership further highlights India’s growing capabilities in advanced commercial shipbuilding and reinforces SDHI’s role in delivering globally competitive maritime engineering solutions.
Formerly known as Reliance Naval and Engineering Limited, Swan Defence and Heavy Industries Limited is a leading shipbuilding and heavy fabrication company with operations on India’s western coast. The company operates the country’s largest dry dock measuring 662 metres by 65 metres and has a fabrication capacity of 164,000 tonnes annually, positioning it as a key player in India’s maritime and industrial growth story.
