Swan Defence and Heavy diligence Limited( SDHI), India’s largest shipbuilding and heavy fabrication company, has taken a significant step in expanding its global presence by subscribing a Letter of Intent( LoI) with Norwegian boat proprietor and driver Rederiet Stenersen AS. The agreement covers the construction of six IMO Type II chemical tankers, each with a capacity of 18,000 shipment tons( DWT), marking a major corner for India’s shipbuilding import sector. The total value of the six vessels is estimated at roughly USD 220 million, with an option for an fresh six vessels to be erected under the same class.
The vessels will be constructed at SDHI’s advanced shipbuilding installation in Pipavav, Gujarat, which is equipped to handle large- scale and technologically complex maritime systems. Designed by Marinform AS of Norway and codified by DNV, these tankers are being developed to meet the loftiest transnational norms in terms of safety, effectiveness, and environmental performance. The vessels will be erected to Ice Class 1A specifications, icing their capability to operate in grueling and icy waters, typical of the North European trade routes where Rederiet Stenersen’s line primarily operates.
Each vessel will feature an advanced mongrel propulsion system, enabling multiple functional modes to optimize effectiveness and project. The system integrates robotization technologies designed to enhance control, reduce emigrations, and ameliorate energy effectiveness. This approach aligns with the global maritime assiduity’s shift towards sustainable and cleaner energy results, addressing both nonsupervisory conditions and environmental enterprises.
The design of these tankers emphasizes unborn readiness and rigidity. Each boat is being finagled to allow flawless conversion to indispensable energies similar as methanol or thawed natural gas( LNG), both of which are gaining elevation as transitional energies in the decarbonization of shipping. The vessels will also include vittles for upgrading battery capacity up to 5,000 kWh, which will further strengthen their green credentials by supporting cold-blooded operations and reducing dependence on conventional marine energies.
publicizing the development, Vivek Merchant, Director of Swan Defence and Heavy diligence Limited, described the agreement as a defining moment for both the company and Indian shipbuilding. “ This cooperation marks a defining moment for SDHI and for Indian shipbuilding — our first major import of advanced chemical tankers to Norway, ” said Merchant. “ We see this as a step towards realizing India’s maritime intentions by erecting large and complex vessels across tankers, bulkers, and technical parts. The trust placed in us by Rederiet Stenersen AS reflects global confidence in India’s shipbuilding capabilities and SDHI’s commitment to deliver world- class, future-ready vessels. ”
The LoI was officially inked in the presence of Mr. Vivek Merchant and Rear Admiral Vipin Kumar Saxena( Retd.), CEO of SDHI, along with Mr. Sigve Stenersen and Mr. John Stenersen representing Rederiet Stenersen AS. The delivery timelines and detailed marketable terms will be perfected in the posterior shipbuilding contract, which will follow the current LoI.
For Rederiet Stenersen AS, a company established in 1974 and headquartered in Norway, the collaboration reinforces its long-standing character for maintaining a ultramodern and environmentally responsible line. The company presently owns and operates 19 chemical and product tankers ranging between 16,000 and 19,000 DWT, primarily servicing routes across Northern Europe. With its commitment to sustainability and functional excellence, Rederiet Stenersen AS continues to concentrate on integrating invention and effectiveness in its line operation and vessel design.
For SDHI, this agreement highlights India’s growing elevation as a global shipbuilding mecca. The company has been steadily erecting its moxie in constructing a variety of vessels, from nonmilitary platforms to marketable vessels, and this cooperation signals India’s capability to contend in the global maritime manufacturing request. The design also aligns with India’s broader ambition to strengthen its maritime sector under enterprise like “ Make in India ” and “ Maritime India Vision 2030, ” which emphasize import growth, technology advancement, and sustainable development in shipbuilding.
The six tankers to be erected for Rederiet Stenersen AS are n’t just technologically advanced but also strategically important in demonstrating India’s capability to meet transnational norms for complex boat types similar as chemical carriers. Once delivered, these vessels will enhance Rederiet Stenersen’s line capacity while also showcasing SDHI’s engineering and design prosecution strength on the global stage.
By integrating mongrel propulsion, ice- class capability, and vittles for unborn green energy conversion, the new vessels emblematize the coming generation of chemical tankers designed for inflexibility, adaptability, and sustainability. The agreement marks a palm for both companies — for SDHI, as it opens doors to unborn collaborations in Europe, and for Rederiet Stenersen AS, as it gains access to high- quality, cost-effective, and environmentally advanced vessels erected in India.
As the maritime assiduity continues to transition towards decarbonization and functional effectiveness, the SDHI – Rederiet Stenersen cooperation stands out as an illustration of transnational cooperation driving the coming surge of sustainable shipbuilding. The forthcoming contract will set the stage for detailed design, construction, and delivery schedules, motioning a new period in India’s part as a trusted global player in advanced boat construction.
