Cochin Shipyard, Polestar Maritime take part in steel-cutting event for two ASTDS-type 70T bollard pull tugs

Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) on Friday took part in the steel-cutting ceremony for two ASTDS 70-tonne bollard pull tugs for Polestar Maritime Limited.

The new 70-tonne tugs measure 33m long, with a beam of 12.2m and a draft of 4.2m. The vessels will be propelled by two main engines of 1838 kW each and 2.7-metre-long propellers from Niigata IHI Power Systems Co. Ltd. The new vessels will also be built in line with the designs of Robert Allan Limited, the world’s leading design house for harbour tugs.

This brings CSL's total orderbook with Polestar to 19 ASTDS tugs and six green tugs. The difference between the two lies in the guidelines under which they are made—while ASTDS tugs are the standard ones made under the rules of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW), green tugs are those specially built in line with the MoPSW's Green Tug Transition Programme (GTTP).

The aim of the GTTP is to gradually replace or supplement conventional diesel-powered harbour tugs with low- or zero-emission alternatives at India's major ports.

“CSL and Udupi-CSL have introduced Robert Allan Limited-designed tugs in India in compliance with ASTDS, setting benchmarks in quality and delivery timelines ... thereby strengthening the sustainable maritime industry,” said Jose V.J., Director (Finance) and CMD (Additional Charge) of CSL.

The ceremony was officiated by Polestar Maritime Director Vinit Badani, in the presence of Shri. Harikrishnan S. (Director - Operations), Harikumar A. (CEO, UCSL), Mr. Shiraz V.P. (Executive Director - Shipbuilding), as well as other senior officials from CSL and representatives from the Indian Register of Shipping (IRS), a classification body.

This also comes almost a month after CSL won a green shipping order for two battery-electric harbour tugs from Polestar under the GTTP.

The two 60-tonne bollard pull green tugs were to be used at the Jawaharlal Nehru Port, and were also to be built between CSL’s main yard in Kochi and the Udupi-CSL's yard under a work-share arrangement, with the final assembly in Kochi.