ABB wins Cochin Shipyard electric tug systems order for 2027

What ABB has won from Cochin Shipyard

ABB said it has secured a contract from Cochin Shipyard to supply power and propulsion systems for two electric harbour tugs being built under India’s Green Tug Transition Programme (GTTP). Under the contract, ABB will provide a package covering electrical, propulsion, automation and digitalisation solutions. The company said the equipment is meant for electric tugs scheduled for delivery to Polestar Maritime in 2027. These vessels are planned to operate at Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA), described as India’s largest container port. The announcement positions ABB as a key technology supplier for what is being framed as JNPA and Cochin Shipyard’s first electric tug vessels under the GTTP programme. For investors, the update adds to the visible pipeline of electrification-linked marine orders tied to policy-backed decarbonisation initiatives.

Where the tugs will operate and who will receive them

According to the press release referenced in the provided material, the electric tugs will be delivered to Polestar Maritime in 2027. The operating location is JNPA, which is India’s largest container port. Cochin Shipyard has separately stated that Polestar Maritime won a government tender to charter two electric tugs for JNPA under the GTTP. That context is important because it links shipbuilding and equipment supply to an identified end-use port and an identified operator. The arrangement also highlights how policy programmes are translating into charter tenders, shipbuilding orders, and supplier contracts. While ABB is supplying systems for two tugs, the broader tender-to-deployment pathway indicates multi-party execution risk and coordination across the shipyard, operator, and port authority.

What ABB is supplying on the vessels

ABB’s scope includes its Onboard DC grid power system platform. It also includes PEMS, ABB’s power and energy management system. The company said these systems are designed to optimise battery usage and improve operational efficiency under varying power demands. ABB also described its overall supply package as spanning electrical systems, propulsion, automation, and digitalisation. The emphasis on DC grid architecture and energy management is relevant for harbour operations where tug load profiles can shift quickly. In electric tugs, these shifts typically need tight power balancing to protect battery life and maintain predictable performance. ABB’s statement focuses on operational efficiency rather than specifying battery capacity or charging infrastructure.

ABB’s official statement on the order

ABB Marine and Ports division President Rune Braastad said the selection reflects trust from India’s maritime sector and referenced ABB’s track record in marine electrification. The statement specifically connects the order to JNPA and Cochin Shipyard’s first electric tug vessels as per India’s GTTP programme. From a communications standpoint, ABB is positioning the contract as a reference project in India’s port electrification journey. The comment also signals that ABB sees long-term opportunity in Indian maritime decarbonisation, though it did not provide revenue or contract value figures in the provided text. The focus remained on technology scope and the milestone nature of the deployment.

How this fits into Cochin Shipyard’s green tug pipeline

Cochin Shipyard has said Polestar Maritime placed an order for two 60-tonne bollard pull battery-electric green tugs to work at JNPA under the GTTP. The shipyard noted these tugs will deliver zero direct emissions during harbour operations. It also said the batteries will be sourced domestically, linking the project to the “Make in India” theme in maritime manufacturing. Cochin Shipyard added that the new vessels will be built to a design from Robert Allan Ltd. In a separate update, the shipyard said the CSL Group’s order book includes 17 tugs in total, with six green tugs at various stages of construction. ABB’s order sits within this larger build-out of tug capacity, especially green tug variants.

Related electric tug orders: Svitzer and equipment suppliers

Beyond the Polestar GTTP tugs, Cochin Shipyard has also announced a deal with Denmark-based towage firm Svitzer to build four fully electric TRAnsverse tugs. The vessels are described as 26-metre TRAnsverse 2600E tugs with a 70-tonne bollard pull capacity, based on the Svitzer Taurus diesel-powered TRAnsverse tug. Deliveries are anticipated to commence in late 2027, and sources cited in the provided material mentioned completion and handover by 2028. A reported total construction cost cited was around ₹450 crore, with ₹100 crore for each tug. Cochin Shipyard classified the order as “Significant” under an internal value system, stated as ₹250-500 crore in the provided material. Separately, Kongsberg Maritime has also secured a contract from Cochin Shipyard to deliver an integrated equipment and technology package for Svitzer’s next generation of full-electric TRAnsverse tugs, covering four vessels with options for four additional units.

Key facts table

Market impact and what investors track next

For ABB, the order reinforces its Marine and Ports positioning in India through a clearly identified use-case at a major port. Because no contract value was provided in the supplied text, investors typically track follow-on disclosures such as segment order intake commentary or additional wins under the GTTP pipeline. For Cochin Shipyard, repeated electric-tug announcements indicate growing execution depth in electrified harbour craft, alongside parallel international orders like Svitzer’s TRAnsverse tugs. For the broader maritime supply chain, these projects highlight demand for DC grid architectures, power management systems, propulsion motors, and charging-related equipment, with Kongsberg also participating in Svitzer-related builds. On the policy side, the GTTP structure is translating into charter tenders and vessel orders, which can create a repeatable pathway for fleet upgrades at other ports.

Analysis: why this contract matters in the GTTP context

This order is notable because it links a government-backed transition programme to a specific port deployment and a named operator, rather than remaining at the policy-announcement stage. It also shows how decarbonisation in ports often starts with harbour craft like tugs, which operate in defined areas and can be supported with planned charging routines. ABB’s inclusion of both DC grid and energy management systems suggests that operational optimisation is a key design priority for electric tug economics, especially under varying power demands. The domestic battery sourcing statement from Cochin Shipyard adds a localisation angle that could influence procurement strategies in future builds. At the same time, multiple concurrent electric tug projects at the same shipyard, including export-oriented builds for Svitzer, indicate that India is being positioned not only as an end-market but also as a manufacturing base for electric towage.

Conclusion

ABB’s contract from Cochin Shipyard covers power, propulsion, automation and digital solutions for two electric harbour tugs planned for delivery to Polestar Maritime in 2027, with operations slated for JNPA under the GTTP. The deal adds to a wider cluster of electric tug orders linked to Cochin Shipyard, including the Polestar GTTP order and Svitzer’s TRAnsverse tug programme. Next milestones to watch are build progress at the shipyard, integration of onboard electrical architectures, and timeline updates as the 2027 delivery window approaches.