Polestar Maritime Ltd, a leading provider of harbor tug and marine support services, has placed an order for two additional 70T Bollard Pull Tugs with Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), India’s premier shipbuilder. This latest contract follows an earlier order for three tugs with Udupi Cochin Shipyard Limited (Udupi-CSL), a wholly owned subsidiary of CSL, reinforcing Polestar’s commitment to strengthening India’s tugboat fleet under the Atma Nirbhar Bharat (Self-Reliant India) initiative
All five 70T Bollard Pull Tugs will be constructed to proven designs by Robert Allan Ltd, the world-renowned design house for high-performance harbour tugs. These vessels will adhere to the Approved Standard Tug Design and Specifications (ASTDS) set by the Government of India under the Atma Nirbhar Bharat initiative, supporting the country’s push toward self-reliance in shipbuilding.
The tugs will be jointly built by Cochin Shipyard Limited and Udupi-CSL under a work-share agreement, with construction taking place at CSL’s yard in Cochin. Each tug will be powered by two main engines of 1838 kW and equipped with 2.7-meter propellers supplied by Niigata IHI Power Systems Co. Ltd., Japan.
With this new contract, the CSL Group’s order book now includes 18 tugs and 2 green (battery-electric) tugs, all at various stages of construction. The Group has already delivered four tugs under the Make in India initiative, establishing itself as a benchmark for delivery timelines and quality in the domestic tug segment.
This order further cements Cochin Shipyard Limited’s leadership in developing modern, efficient, and environmentally responsible tugboats for Indian and international clients, while also strengthening its strategic partnership with Polestar Maritime.