Swan Defence Wins ₹251–750 Crore Order from Denmark’s Svitzer; Four Harbour Tugs to Be Built at Pipavav

Ahmedabad: Gujarat-based Swan Defence and Heavy Industries Ltd (SDHI) has secured an export order worth Rs 251-750 crore from Denmark’s Svitzer A/S to build four advanced TRAnsverse 3200 harbour tugs at its Pipavav shipyard, further strengthening the state’s position in the global shipbuilding industry.

The contract was awarded after a competitive evaluation involving leading international shipyards. Construction of the high-specification tugs will take place at SDHI’s Pipavav facility in Amreli district, with deliveries scheduled to commence in early 2028.

The TRAnsverse 3200 tug, jointly developed by naval architecture firm Robert Allan Ltd and Svitzer, is designed for demanding harbour towage and escort operations. Equipped with omni-directional propulsion and an advanced hydrodynamic hull, the vessels generate an 80-tonne bollard pull, enabling them to safely manoeuvre large ships through challenging weather conditions and narrow port channels.

According to SDHI, the new tugs are up to 15% more fuel-efficient than conventional designs. They will be biofuel-ready, comply with IMO Tier III emission norms, and feature FiFi 1-class firefighting capabilities.

“It is indeed a notable achievement for SDHI to construct one of the world’s most sophisticated towage vessels. Svitzer’s rigorous evaluation process reaffirms the strength of our engineering capabilities in the niche, high-specification vessel segment,” said Rear Admiral (Retd) Vipin Kumar Saxena, Chief Executive Officer of SDHI.

He added that securing a fourth consecutive export contract reflects the growing confidence of global maritime leaders in the company’s ability to deliver vessels that meet the highest international standards.

Formerly known as Reliance Naval and Engineering Ltd, SDHI operates one of India’s largest shipyards. Its Pipavav facility houses the country’s largest dry dock, measuring 662 metres by 65 metres, and has an annual fabrication capacity of 164,000 tonnes. DeshGujarat