Greener tugs cleaning up Canadian ports

The ElectRA 2300SX tugs, designed by Canada-based Robert Allan Ltd and built by the Turkish shipyard Sanmar, will operate under an agreement between SAAM Towage and Teck & Neptune Terminals at the port.

“This milestone allows us to accelerate our journey towards more sustainable operations by significantly reducing our carbon footprint,” said Hernán Gómez, managing director, SAAM Towage.

“This partnership is important for both our company and Teck, as it will lend financial and technical feasibility to our common strategic objectives of driving innovation and developing increasingly sustainable operations, a model we want to replicate.”

Zero-emission

With a length of 23.4 metres, a beam of 11.9 metres and a maximum draft of 5.5 metres, these tugs boast maximum bollard pull of 70 metric tonnes.

They achieve optimum performance using the energy stored in two Li-ion battery banks, which will be charged using the British Columbia hydroelectric power grid, making them 100% electric, zero-emission vessels.

“It is exciting to see these revolutionary new-generation “tugs of the future” undergoing seaworthiness trials. Emission-free propulsion is no longer an aspiration for the future, but a fully viable solution for the tug industry,” said Ali Gurun, president, Sanmar Shipyards.

SAAM Towage operates more than 20 tugs along Canada’s west coast at nine ports in British Columbia.

Sanmar Shipyards has a ready market for green tugs in Canada. This new order comes on the back of the double order for two ElectRA tugs for HaiSea Marine which will be used to service tankers calling at LNG Canada’s new export facility in Kitimat.