Echandia has been selected to supply the battery system for India's first fully electric tug, to be deployed at Deendayal Port Authority (Kandla Port) as part of the Government of India's Green Tug Transition Programme. The vessel will be equipped with a 4.4 megawatt-hour (MWh) Echandia battery system, enabling zero-emission operation at one of India's most important port hubs. The battery system is designed for a 15-year lifetime, matching the full duration of the operational agreement between Ripley Group and the Deendayal Port Authority.
After winning the charter tender, Ripley Group appointed Kongsberg Maritime as system integrator. Echandia was selected through a competitive tender to supply the battery system. A key requirement for the battery system was 30,000 cycles over the 15-year period without mid-life battery replacement. Echandia was the only supplier able to guarantee this performance.
India's port carbon intensity reduction objective focuses on electrification of small-scale but high-frequency port vessels. Fully electric tugs deliver thousands of tonnes of annual CO2 savings versus conventional diesel equivalents. The benchmark set by Echandia provides a reference template for other major Indian ports; Mumbai, Chennai and Visakhapatnam are expected to trigger similar projects.
Key Takeaways:
1. Echandia will supply the battery system for India's first fully electric tug.
2. The tug will be deployed at Kandla Port under the Green Tug Transition Programme.
3. The 4.4 MWh battery system is designed for a 15-year lifetime.
4. The system guarantees 30,000 cycles without mid-life replacement.
5. Ripley Group won the tender; Kongsberg Maritime will serve as system integrator.
