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Indian shipbuilder to construct Damen tugs
Tugboats will be built in India to multiple designs after Damen signed an MoU with a local shipyard
Damen-designed tugboats could be built in India following an agreement with an Indian shipbuilder to work together on the proposition.
Yeoman Marine Services has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Damen Shipyards to construct tugs, such as Damen’s azimuth stern drive (ASD) range, at a shipyard in Ratnagiri.
According to reports in India, these tugs will be built for local owners and ports and will compete other local tugboat builders and naval architects.
Yeoman Marine is a turnkey service provider for ship repairs and delivering ship systems, having completed more than 300 projects since its inception in 1999, much of this for the naval industry.
It acquired the Ratnagiri shipyard in Maharashtra from Bharati Defence and Offshore Engineering when it was sold under India’s bankruptcy law.
It is not known when the first tug will be started or the type or design of the tugs that will be produced in India.
Yeoman has teams working in Indian naval yards at Mumbai, Vishakhapatnam, Kochi, Karwar and Andaman & Nicobar. Its work contracts include outfitting, shafting, cabling, piping and installing machinery and weapon systems. Yeoman has also repaired naval vessels, commercial ships and tugboats.
Around 350-400 tugs operate in Indian ports in both the public and private sectors. Demand for fleet renewal is high as larger ships use these growing harbours and terminals.
According to International Tug & Salvage data, at least six tugs were built in India for owners such as Adani Group, Parekh Group, Polestar Maritime and the Indian Navy in 2024.
Indian tug builders that have completed newbuilds this decade are Hindustan Shipyard, Knowledge Marine & Engineering Works, Udupi Cochin Shipyards, Titagarh Shoft Shipyard and Synergy Shipbuilders.
In March 2025, Udupi Cochin cut steel on a tugboat, yard number UY174, and laid the keel on another tug, UY 172, it is building for Adani Harbour Service subsidiary Ocean Sparkle. Each tug, being built at Cochin Shipyard, is expected to have twin main engines driving two azimuth thrusters to deliver a bollard pull of 70 tonnes. These construction milestones are part of an eight-vessel construction deal Cochin Shipyard secured from Adani in Q4 2024.
In February, Synergy Shipbuilders laid the keel of an autonomous surface vessel to be used by the Indian Navy for mine hunting and countermeasures.
In 2024, the Indian Navy brought tugs Bahubali, Bajrang and Bheeshma into operation following their construction by Titagarh Shoft Shipyard. Udupi Cochin also produced tugs, Konna Star and Mogra Star, for Polestar Maritime.
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