Udupi Cochin Delivers Third 70-Tonne Bollard Pull Tug to Ocean Sparkle

Udupi Cochin Shipyard Limited (UCSL) delivered a 70-tonne bollard pull harbour tug to Ocean Sparkle Limited (OSL) on 28 September 2026, completing the third vessel in a 15-tug construction programme for the Adani Group company.

The azimuth stern drive (ASD) tug was handed over 47 days after its launch, meeting the shipyard’s committed delivery schedule. Built for harbour and port operations, the vessel adds towing capacity to Ocean Sparkle’s marine services fleet. UCSL is a wholly owned subsidiary of Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL).

Robert Allan Design with 70-Tonne Bollard Pull

Designed by Canadian naval architecture firm Robert Allan Ltd, the tug measures 33 metres in length and 12.2 metres in beam. It is classed by the Indian Register of Shipping (IRS).

Propulsion is provided by two main engines, each rated at approximately 1,838 kW, giving a combined installed power of about 3,676 kW. The vessel has a rated bollard pull of 70 tonnes.

The tug follows the Approved Standard Tug Design and Specifications (ASTDS) framework used for the programme.

CSL’s original specifications for the three-vessel batch included a draught of 4.2 metres, 2.7-metre-diameter thrusters and 150 kW diesel generators. The equipment package also specified forward and aft winches, a three-tonne deck crane and an external firefighting system rated at 2,800 cubic metres per hour.

Delivery Completes the Initial Three-Vessel Batch

The latest handover completes the initial batch of three 70-tonne bollard pull tugs announced in May 2024. That contract was signed by UCSL Chief Executive Officer Harikumar A and Ocean Sparkle Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Hiren Shah.

The partnership predates this batch. UCSL had previously built two 62-tonne bollard pull ASD tugs for Ocean Sparkle, both delivered ahead of their contractual schedules and subsequently deployed at Paradip and New Mangalore ports.

UCSL recorded the launch of the third vessel in the initial 70-tonne series on 12 August 2026. On the same day, it laid the keel for the first tug in the subsequent eight-vessel series. Steel cutting for the third vessel in that follow-on batch took place on 13 August.

Repeat Orders Expand the Programme to 15 Tugs

Ocean Sparkle’s 70-tonne tug programme at UCSL has expanded through successive orders.

In December 2024, Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Limited announced an additional eight-tug order, taking the programme to 11 vessels at that stage. The eight-vessel contract was valued at approximately ₹450 crore, with deliveries originally scheduled between December 2026 and May 2028.

A further order for four 70-tonne bollard pull ASD tugs followed in May 2026. CSL’s stock exchange disclosure confirmed that these vessels would also be constructed to ASTDS requirements promulgated by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways. Together, the three batches account for the 15-vessel programme.

Domestic Construction Supports Harbour Fleet Renewal

The successive contracts extend an established relationship between the Indian shipbuilder and Ocean Sparkle, covering both earlier 62-tonne vessels and the larger 70-tonne series.

Announcing the eight-tug order in 2024, Adani linked domestic procurement to its harbour fleet renewal plans and the government’s Make in India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiatives. The September delivery completes the first batch while construction proceeds on the follow-on vessels.