Echandia, the Sweden-headquartered maritime battery systems supplier, has been selected by Knowledge Marine & Engineering Works to supply battery systems for two fully electric tugs operating under India’s Green Tug Transition Programme (GTTP). The vessels are due to enter service at Visakhapatnam Port Authority and V.O.C. Port Authority in Tuticorin.

The contract marks the first deployment of Echandia’s recently launched Core battery system in India. Both systems have been designed for a 15-year service life, aligned with the full concession period of the vessels, which the company says removes the need for a mid-life battery replacement and the associated costs and operational disruption.

The two tugs follow an earlier Echandia GTTP project at Kandla Port and are scheduled to enter operation during the second quarter of 2027. The vessels will be designed by Kolkata-based Navnautik Technical Services Pvt Ltd, the same designer used for the Kandla Port vessel.

Echandia has a presence in the Indian market, where its lithium titanate oxide (LTO)-based battery systems have powered 23 Kochi Water Metro ferries since 2023. The company says it has expanded its local service partnerships in India to support customers across the full operational life of each vessel.

Saurabh Daswani, managing director at Knowledge Marine & Engineering Works, explained: “We selected Echandia based on their proven marine references, strong technical capabilities, and commitment to lifecycle support. For us, long-term reliability, safety, low total cost of ownership, and response were key decision factors, and Echandia demonstrated strength in each of these areas.”

Rakshith Sachitanand, senior strategist at Echandia, commented: “India is a long-term market for Echandia, and we have invested in local presence to support customers across the full life of their vessels. For tug operators, operational availability is the deciding factor. Our LTO chemistry and battery management system give crews an accurate state of charge and maximum bollard pull, so there are no surprises in operation. Once operators experience that consistency, confidence in electric tugs follows.”

India’s GTTP is a government initiative aimed at reducing emissions from port operations by transitioning harbour tugs away from conventional diesel propulsion. For tug operators, Echandia argues the economics of electrification depend not only on battery capacity at delivery, but on system performance throughout the full operating period.

Echandia is headquartered in Sweden, with offices in North America, the UK, Singapore, China and Denmark.