Netincon Marketing emerges as lowest bidder for green tug tender

Netincon Marketing Pvt Ltd, a subsidiary of the Kolkata-based Ripley Group, has secured the lowest bid for India’s first electric green tug tender, organized by the state-owned Deendayal Port Authority. The company proposed a price of ₹6,30,000 per day, which is 5.97% lower than the reserve price of ₹6,70,000 per day set by the port authority. To meet the tender requirements, Netincon Marketing has partnered with Goa-based Mandovi Drydocks for building the tug. The port authority plans to hire the electric tug from Netincon Marketing for a duration of 15 years. Netincon Marketing specializes in stevedoring, shore handling, logistics, and ship owning.

In August 2024, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways unveiled the standard operating procedures (SOP) for the Green Tug Transition Programme (GTTP), aiming to shift from conventional fuel-based harbour tugs to eco-friendly alternatives. This initiative represents a significant move toward India’s environmental sustainability goals and the advancement of its maritime industry. The GTTP intends to replace conventional tugs at state-owned major ports with green tugs utilizing cleaner alternative fuels.

The first phase of the programme, running until December 2027, will see four major ports—Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority, Deendayal Port Authority, Paradip Port Authority, and V.O. Chidambaranar Port Authority—each acquiring or chartering a minimum of two green tugs. This phase will involve an estimated investment of ₹1,000 crore, based on standardized designs and specifications developed by the Standing Specification Committee (SSC).