Udupi, Karnataka – May 31st, 2024: Udupi Cochin Shipyard Limited (UCSL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), has secured an important contract for the construction of three 70-tonne Bollard Pull Azimuthing Stern Drive (ASD) Tugs. These orders come from Ocean Sparkle Limited (OSL), an Adani Harbor Services Limited company, and represent a continuation of the successful partnership between UCSL and OSL.
The contract was officially signed by Shri Harikumar A, CEO of UCSL, and Shri Hiren Shah, MD and CEO of OSL. This follows a previous contract in which UCSL constructed and delivered two 62-tonne bollard pull ASD tugs for OSL ahead of schedule. These tugs are currently operational at Paradeep Port and New Mangalore Port.
The newly ordered 70-tonne bollard pull tugs will feature a length of 33 meters, a beam of 12.2 meters, and a draft of 4.2 meters. They will be equipped with two main engines producing 1838 kW each, thrusters with a diameter of 2.7 meters, diesel generators of 150 kW, a forward towing winch, an aft winch, a deck crane with a 3-tonne capacity, and an external fire-fighting system (FIFI-1) capable of pumping 2800 cubic meters per hour. The design of these tugs comes from Robert Allan Limited, a leading global design house for harbor tugs. These tugs will be built under the Indian Flag and classed with the Indian Register of Shipping (IRS), conforming to the Approved Standard Tug Design and Specifications (ASTDS) set by the Government of India, in line with the Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India initiatives. UCSL is the first shipyard to contract and construct tugs that meet these specifications.
Additionally, UCSL has signed contracts with Polestar Maritime Limited for the construction of two ASD tugs with 70-tonne bollard pull. The first of these vessels, named ‘Konna Star’, was delivered ahead of schedule and is now operational at Deendayal Port, Kandla. The second vessel is currently under construction at UCSL’s yard in Malpe, Karnataka. Polestar Maritime Limited has also placed a repeat order for another 70-tonne bollard pull tug with UCSL.
UCSL has made significant strides since its revival following CSL’s takeover in September 2020. The shipyard’s order book includes six 3800-deadweight dry cargo vessels for Wilson ASA, Norway. This rapid progress highlights UCSL’s commitment to high-quality construction and timely delivery.
Mr. Madhu Nair, Chairman and Managing Director of CSL and Chairman of UCSL, expressed his satisfaction with the new contracts: “We are extremely happy to be chosen again as the preferred partner by Ocean Sparkle Limited and Polestar Maritime Limited for constructing tugs to augment their fleet. Both CSL and our subsidiary UCSL are committed to delivering high-quality tugs, benchmarking construction cycle times with an emphasis on sustainable solutions to serve the evolving maritime ecosystem.”
These developments underscore UCSL’s role in advancing India’s maritime capabilities and contributing to the nation’s goals of self-reliance and industrial growth.
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