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Knowledge Marine & Engineering Works Ltd. has received a 15-year contract from Visakhapatnam Port Authority for a contractor-owned battery-electric green tug with a 60-tonne bollard pull capacity. The deal, valued at INR 384.33 crore including taxes, covers complete manning, operations, maintenance and technical management. This is the company's second long-term green tug order, following a similar contract at VO Chidambaranar Port Authority. The company will build both tugs through a joint venture with Synergy Shipbuilders, benefiting from shared procurement and construction efficiencies as India expands its green-tug programme.
Knowledge Marine & Engineering Works Ltd. recently secured a 15-year charter contract from Visakhapatnam Port Authority for a fully battery-electric green tug with a 60-tonne bollard pull capacity. The tug will be owned by the company and operated for the port under long-term deployment. The day-rate quoted for this contract is INR 5,94,468, bringing the total value to INR 384.33 crore inclusive of taxes. Advertisement
This green-tug award is the company's second long-term contract in this category. Before this, the firm had won a similar 15-year agreement at VO Chidambaranar Port Authority, where it quoted a day-rate of INR 5,96,695. That order carries a total value of INR 326.93 crore and involves similar responsibilities for running and maintaining the vessel.
The Visakhapatnam Port contract includes full manning, day-to-day operations, technical management, and complete maintenance of the tug. This adds to the company's existing portfolio of port-based marine services, where it has previously handled harbour crafts and specialised vessels across multiple ports.
For both green-tug contracts, the company plans to construct the vessels through its joint venture with Goa-based Synergy Shipbuilders. By building two vessels under a common plan, the company expects better procurement pricing, reduced construction timelines, and tighter project management. Shared engineering designs and workflow alignment are also expected to bring down overall capital expenditure and operating overheads.
India's green-tug segment is expanding due to rising interest in low-emission harbour operations. Industry assessments indicate that the potential opportunity in this category could reach nearly INR 12,000 crore in the coming years. The shift is also supported by national initiatives like the Green Tug Transition Programme, which encourages Indian ports to move from diesel-powered tugs to cleaner alternatives such as battery-electric vessels.
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