India’s first fully electric tugboat is moving forward to realisation, with Kongsberg Maritime winning a contract to supply a range of systems for the tugboat planned for deployment in Q4 2026.

The order was placed by Mandovi Drydocks in partnership with Ripley Group and covers permanent magnet-driven azimuth thrusters and advanced electrical systems, Kongsberg said in a statement on its website on Friday.

The tug, designed with a 60-ton bollard pull, marks Kongsberg Maritime’s first supply contract for a fully electric tug.

The vessel will be deployed in Deendayal Port in Gujarat.

“Electric tugboats are a significantly different vessel from traditional mechanical tugs, and owners and yards need confidence in these new emission-reducing technologies,” Mark Callaway, senior sales manager at Kongsberg Maritime, said.

The tug is being developed by Ripley Group. Earlier this year, Ripley subsidiary Netincon Marketing won Deendayal Port Authority’s tender for the project, under which the vessel will be chartered for 15 years.