Swan Defence and Heavy Industries (SDHI) has secured its first major shipbuilding deal since taking over and reviving the Pipavav shipyard, signing a letter of intent (LoI) with Norway’s Rederiet Stenersen for the construction of six 18,000 dwt chemical tankers worth about $220m.
The agreement includes an option for six additional vessels of the same class. The IMO Type II ships will be built at SDHI’s Pipavav facility in Gujarat, India’s largest shipyard by dry dock capacity, which restarted operations last year under new ownership after emerging from bankruptcy.
The tankers will be designed by Norway’s Marinform and classed by DNV. Each Ice Class 1A vessel will feature a hybrid propulsion system with automation for improved manoeuvrability, lower emissions, and operational flexibility. The design also comes with the ability to convert to methanol or LNG fuel and upgrade battery capacity up to 5,000 kWh.
“This partnership marks a defining moment for SDHI and for Indian shipbuilding — our first major export of advanced chemical tankers to Norway,” said SDHI director Vivek Merchant. “The trust placed in us by Rederiet Stenersen reflects global confidence in India’s shipbuilding capabilities.”
Rederiet Stenersen, established in 1974, operates about 20 chemical and product tankers ranging between 13,000 and 19,000 dwt, trading primarily in Northern Europe.
