Swan Defence and Heavy Industries Ltd (SDHI) has secured a contract from Denmark-based towage operator Svitzer A/S to build four advanced TRAnsverse 3200 harbour tugs at its Pipavav shipyard in Gujarat, marking the company’s fourth consecutive export contract.
The vessels will be built to Bureau Veritas class, with deliveries scheduled to begin in early 2028. The contract follows a competitive evaluation of shipyards globally and strengthens SDHI’s position in the specialised, high-value tugboat segment.
The TRAnsverse 3200 is a 32-metre tug developed jointly by naval architect Robert Allan Ltd and Svitzer. The vessel has a bollard pull of more than 80 tonnes and is designed for complex harbour towage and escort operations. Svitzer’s existing TRAnsverse 3200 vessels have an 81-tonne bollard pull, a beam of 13.7 metres and an operational draft of about 6.1 metres.
The patented design uses a double-ended hull and omni-directional propulsion system, allowing the tug to manoeuvre in restricted channels and other challenging port environments. Svitzer says the TRAnsverse design offers a broader operating envelope and greater responsiveness while being more fuel efficient than conventional tug designs.
Estimated value of four tugs
SDHI has not disclosed the value of the Svitzer contract. However, based on comparable recent Indian tug-building contracts, the four-vessel order could be estimated at around ₹280-320 crore, or approximately ₹70-80 crore per tug.
For comparison, Cochin Shipyard secured a ₹120 crore contract in 2025 for two 70-tonne bollard-pull tugs, implying a price of about ₹60 crore per vessel. Those vessels were also based on designs from Robert Allan Ltd.
The TRAnsverse 3200 is a more sophisticated vessel, with an approximately 80-tonne bollard pull, specialised propulsion and escort capabilities, IMO Tier III readiness and Bureau Veritas classification. These additional specifications support an estimated price above the ₹60 crore benchmark for the Cochin Shipyard vessels.
This ₹280-320 crore figure is an industry-based estimate and not the disclosed contract value. The actual value could differ depending on propulsion configuration, equipment, financing terms, customisation, classification requirements and the scope of services included in the contract.
Advanced vessels for global port operations
The four tugs will be capable of operating in demanding harbour and terminal environments, including restricted port channels and severe weather conditions. The vessels will be biofuel-ready and IMO Tier III emissions standards-ready, while also being designed to meet FiFi1 firefighting requirements.
Svitzer said the TRAnsverse design is intended to improve port productivity, operational safety and sustainability. The company currently operates more than 500 vessels globally, and the new order forms part of its long-term fleet renewal programme.
Svitzer has been expanding its TRAnsverse fleet, with more than three-quarters of its current newbuild order book comprising vessels based on the TRAnsverse platform in 26-metre, 29-metre, 32-metre and 35-metre variants.
Fourth consecutive export order for SDHI
For SDHI, the contract represents its fourth consecutive export order, according to the company, and provides further validation of its ability to build specialised vessels for international customers.
Rear Admiral Vipin Kumar Saxena (retd.), CEO of SDHI, said the contract demonstrates the company’s engineering capabilities in the niche, high-specification vessel segment and reflects growing confidence among global maritime companies in India’s shipbuilding capabilities.
The vessels will be constructed at SDHI’s Pipavav shipyard in Gujarat, located adjacent to the port where Svitzer itself operates a harbour towage business.
The location could provide logistical and operational advantages as the shipbuilder works with Svitzer on the new vessels.
Svitzer CEO Kasper Friis Nilaus said the partnership would support the delivery of next-generation vessels aimed at improving port productivity, sustainability and safety, while also highlighting the company’s continued investment in the Indian maritime sector.
The order comes as Indian shipbuilders seek to increase their share of the global commercial shipbuilding market, with specialised vessels such as harbour tugs offering opportunities to compete internationally on engineering capability, cost and delivery.