The Indian Navy on Friday took delivery of the first 25 tonne Bollard Pull Tug, Mahabali, built at the Shoft Shipyard Pvt Ltd (SSPL), an MSME based in Bharuch, Gujarat, according to India Shipping News.
This is the first of the tree tugs that the Navy has contracted to be built under the classification rules of Indian Register of Shipping (IRS). The tugs will help provide assistance to Naval ships and submarines during berthing and un-berthing, as well as turning and maneuvering in confined waters. The tugs will also provide firefighting assistance to ships - both afloat and at anchorage - and will also have capability to conduct limited search and rescue operations.
The Navy signed the Rs 84.75 crore contract for construction of three 25-tonne bollard pull tugs with SSPL on 12 November 2021, in line with the 'AatmaNirbhar Bharat' initiative of the government. These tugs will have a service life of 30 years.
The keel for all three tugs (Yard 305-Mahabali, Yard 306 Baljeet and Yard 307 - Bajrang) was laid by Warship Production Superintendent (Mumbai), Cmde Sunil Kaushik on 10 June 2022. All major and auxiliary equipment/systems are being sourced from indigenous manufacturers.
Earlier, on 20 September 2023, the Udupi Cochin Shipyard Ltd, a subsidiary of Cochin Shipyard Ltd, had built a 62-tonne bollard pull tug for Ocean Sparkle, an Adani Group enterprise. The Ministry of Shipping had, on 4 September 2020, issued a directive to all major ports to exclusively procure or charter tug boats built in India, in a move to promote domestic shipbuilding.