MUMBAI, April 7, 2026 – In a landmark development for India’s green shipbuilding ambitions, Swan Defence and Heavy Industries Limited (SDHI) has secured a Category 4 order from Energy ONE Limited for the construction of four 92,500 DWT dual-fuel ammonia bulk carriers – marking a first for the country.
These will be the first ammonia dual-fuel ships built in India and are also among the largest commercial vessels ever to be constructed at an Indian shipyard, representing a significant step forward in both technological capability and scale for the domestic shipbuilding industry.
Measuring 229.5 meters in length with a beam of 37 meters, each of the dual-fuel vessels will be equipped with an ammonia-fueled propulsion system. The vessels will be designed by South Korea’s KMS-EMEC and classed by Det Norske Veritas (DNV), one of the world’s leading classification societies.
The milestone underscores SDHI’s growing capability to execute complex, next-generation shipbuilding programs aligned with the global transition toward lower-emission shipping.
Commenting on the development, Vivek Merchant, Director of SDHI, said, “Winning this project is an important step forward for us. It reflects the confidence global stakeholders are placing in Indian shipbuilding, and in the capabilities we have developed at Pipavav. Ammonia as a marine fuel is still at an early stage, and we are proud to be part of that transition – building vessels that are not just relevant for today but aligned with where the industry is heading.”