Swan Defence and Heavy Industries Limited (SDHI) has secured an order from Energy ONE Limited to build four 92,500 DWT ammonia dual-fuel bulk carriers, marking the first such vessels to be constructed in India and among the largest commercial ships to be built at an Indian shipyard. The contract is classified as a Category four order under domestic order classification and is presented as a milestone for India’s green shipbuilding ambitions. The development signals a significant step in the domestic industry’s ability to undertake complex, next-generation shipbuilding programmes aligned with lower-emission shipping.

Each vessel will measure 229.5 metres in length with a beam of 37 metres and will be equipped with an ammonia-fuelled propulsion system designed by KMS-EMEC of South Korea and classed by Det Norske Veritas (DNV). The announcement noted that ammonia as a marine fuel remains at an early stage and that the project reflects growing global confidence in capabilities developed at Pipavav. SDHI emphasised that the order tests both technological capability and scale in the country’s shipbuilding sector.

The first vessel is expected to be delivered in October 2029 with subsequent deliveries scheduled at four-month intervals. The shipyard operates the country’s largest dry dock measuring 662 metres by 65 metres and reports a fabrication capacity of 164,000 tons per annum, resources that were cited as providing an advantage in fulfilling maritime and industrial demands. SDHI presented the programme as part of its commitment to innovation, safety and sustainability in ship construction.

Energy ONE Limited acts as general partner for New Energy One (NEO), an investment fund registered in Jersey, and NEO has outlined a total capital investment programme of USD two bn in zero-emission ships to enable end users and commodity producers to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The fund has executed a memorandum of understanding with Sagarmala Finance Corp Ltd to co-invest in green shipping projects via the Maritime Development Fund. The companies indicated that the contract positions India to participate more actively in the global transition toward lower-emission maritime transport.