Cochin Shipyard Begins Green Tug Construction; Minister Sonowal Attends Steel Cutting Ceremony.

Cochin Shipyard has kicked off construction of two green tugs under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways’ flagship Green Tug Transition Programme (GTTP), aimed at promoting eco-friendly maritime operations.

Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal presided over the steel cutting ceremony at the shipyard on Monday, marking the formal start of the project. The green tugs, featuring hybrid and electric propulsion systems, are being developed indigenously as part of the government’s broader push toward sustainable shipbuilding.

Describing the initiative as a “transformative leap,” Sonowal said, “The Green Tug Transition Programme is not just about technological innovation—it represents India’s commitment and growing capability to lead the global green maritime movement.”

HBL