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Battery-electric tugboats are moving from one-off demonstrations toward repeat construction, with India a particularly active market. The shift depends on more than fitting a vessel with batteries: towing duty, propulsion controls, charging arrangements and the port’s electricity supply all shape whether an electric tug can do its work.
How a battery-electric tug works
A battery-electric tug stores energy onboard and uses electric motors to drive its propulsion system. The motors, thrusters, switchboards, automation and energy-management controls must work together to deliver the manoeuvring and towing power required for a specific harbour or terminal duty.
Battery capacity describes stored energy, not a guaranteed operating range or number of jobs. Kongsberg Maritime says each of four Svitzer TRAnsverse 2600e tugs under construction at Cochin Shipyard will have a 4.8 MWh primary battery. That is a supplier-stated specification, not an endurance figure; actual time between charges depends on the tug’s workload and operating pattern. Kongsberg Maritime’s 5 May 2026 announcement says its package includes electrical and automation architecture, switchboards, propulsion motors, controls, thrusters and shore-charging equipment.
Where new electric tugs are being built
India: policy-backed orders and construction
India’s Green Tug Transition Programme is supporting several projects at different stages. On 31 January 2026, the Press Information Bureau said Polestar Maritime had ordered two battery-electric tugs for Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority. The government announcement specifies 60 tonnes of bollard pull for each tug and says Cochin Shipyard and subsidiary Udupi-CSL will build them using domestically sourced batteries. It describes the vessels as having zero direct emissions during harbour operations. These are announced project plans, not evidence that the tugs are already in service. Press Information Bureau announcement.
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Cochin Shipyard said construction of four Svitzer battery-electric TRAnsverse 2600e tugs began on 2 September 2026, following a shipbuilding agreement signed in December 2025. Kongsberg Maritime described the contract as covering four vessels, with options for four more. Those are distinct milestones: the construction start is confirmed by the yard, while additional vessels remain options. Cochin Shipyard’s construction announcement.
Other Indian projects broaden the supplier and yard mix. Echandia announced battery-system selections for a tug intended for Deendayal Port Authority at Kandla and for two Knowledge Marine & Engineering Works tugs under the transition programme. Echandia said the latter pair were scheduled to enter operation in Q2 2027; that is a supplier forecast, not a reported completion. Kandla project announcement and Knowledge Marine project announcement.
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ABB has separately said it will supply power and propulsion systems for two electric tugs under construction at Cochin Shipyard. The company describes its onboard DC grid as a way to integrate energy storage and improve drivetrain efficiency. ABB announcement.
Serial construction beyond India
India is not the only place building electric tugs in series. Sanmar Shipyards reported that its 14th all-electric ElectRA tug had reached sea trials in 2026, with another under construction. Sea trials mark a later development stage than an order or construction start, but do not by themselves establish entry into service. The series count and milestone are company-reported. Sanmar Shipyards announcement.
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- Flexible to Control: The remote control tugboat can move forward, backward, and turn left or right, offering excellent control and flexibility in navigation.
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A 7 October 2026 report characterized India, China and the United States as becoming major builders, with Türkiye remaining important and Spain notable for hybrid propulsion. That is a broad market framing, not a comparable count of current national orders or a quantified global market estimate. The cited projects show expansion, but do not establish a reliable global market size. Riviera Maritime Media’s 7 October 2026 report.
How long can an electric tug operate between charges?
There is no single answer for all electric tugs. A 4.8 MWh battery, for example, does not by itself establish how many hours a vessel can work, how many towing jobs it can complete, or how much reserve it retains. Those outcomes depend on the vessel’s power demand over its duty cycle, including the intensity and duration of towing and manoeuvring, and on the charging time available between jobs.
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For a meaningful project comparison, look for the operating duty, usable energy, charging power and turnaround schedule together. The government-announced 60-tonne bollard-pull rating for the Polestar tugs indicates a towing capability target, while Kongsberg’s stated battery capacity for the Svitzer series describes stored energy. Neither figure alone answers the endurance question.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What charging infrastructure does a port need?
A port needs a charging arrangement that fits the tug’s schedule and can deliver the required power between assignments. The project scope matters: Kongsberg says shore-charging equipment is included in its package for the Svitzer series. Port of Antwerp-Bruges, announcing the launch of Volta 1 on 19 May 2025, described a dedicated charging arrangement for that vessel. These examples make clear that shore equipment and vessel batteries are parts of one operating system, rather than independent specifications. Port of Antwerp-Bruges announcement.
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- Charging rate and connection: determine how quickly the tug can take on energy and whether the berth’s connection supports the vessel’s needs.
- Turnaround: compare charging windows with the tug’s actual shift and job pattern.
- Powertrain integration: account for motors, thrusters, switchboards, automation and energy management alongside the battery.
- Port electricity: consider the capacity and source of the electricity supplied ashore; onboard electrification does not, on its own, establish lifecycle emissions.
Are battery-electric tugboats zero-emission?
“Zero-emission” needs a boundary. The Government of India’s announcement says the Polestar tugs will have zero direct emissions during harbour operations. That describes emissions at the vessel during use; it does not establish zero emissions over the full lifecycle, including electricity generation, battery manufacture or construction. The electricity source and port infrastructure affect the broader emissions picture.
How to judge a project’s maturity
Orders, construction starts, launches, sea trials and operational service are not interchangeable. For instance, the Polestar order is a government-announced procurement; the Svitzer series has a reported construction start; Volta 1 was announced at launch; and Sanmar reported a tug at sea trials. A project’s milestone tells readers how far it has progressed, but does not automatically prove that a vessel is operating commercially.
Svitzer’s experience claim should also be read with attribution. Cochin Shipyard’s announcement quotes the company: “This is proven technology, with over 3,000 commercial towage jobs been completed with the class, and Svitzer has 18 TRAnsverse vessels under construction worldwide.” The statement is Svitzer’s, as relayed by the shipyard, rather than an independently audited count.
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