MOL and SCI to collaborate on tugboat business in India

Japanese shipping player Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) and Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) have agreed to collaborate on the tugboat business in India.

The companies firmed up their intent by signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on October 27 in Mumbai.

It is estimated that India’s economic growth will drive an annual increase of 6%-8% in container cargo and 3%-5% in energy cargo over the next decade, thus requiring additional tugboats to respond to a rise in the number of vessel calls.

Through this MoU, the partners aim to provide stable tugboat services in the country and support the safe berthing and unberthing of vessels.

India has already initiated the government-backed Green Tug Transition Program, seeking to gradually transition all tugboats operating at major ports to environmentally friendly ‘green tugs’ by 2040.

As part of this plan, India is expecting to welcome its ‘first-ever’ electric tugboat in the last quarter of 2026, upon which the unit is to operate at Deendayal Port in Gujarat.