Florida-based Crowley Maritime Corporation has announced its plans to construct and operate the first all-electric powered harbour tugboat, named eWolf.
Crowley will develop the eTug in collaboration with the San Diego County Air Pollution Control District, the California Air Resources Board, the Port of San Diego, the US Environmental Protection Agency and the US Maritime Administration.
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All the partners will offer financial aid and other resources for the project.
The eWolf will be designed to run on electricity completely, resulting in zero carbon emissions.
With 70t of bollard pull, the 82-foot vessel will replace a tug that consumes over 30,000 gallons of diesel annually.
During its first ten years, eWolf is expected to cut down 178t of nitrogen oxide (NOx), 2.5t of diesel particulate matter and 3,100 metric tonnes of carbon, compared to a conventional tug.
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By GlobalDataThe eTug will run at the Port of San Diego’s Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal, with operations scheduled to commence in mid-2023.
Crowley chairman and CEO Tom Crowley said: “The eWolf represents everything Crowley stands for: innovation, sustainability and performance. With this groundbreaking tug design, our team continues to embrace our role as leaders in the maritime industry while providing our customers with innovative and sustainable solutions done right.”
Master Boat Builders in Alabama will be responsible for the construction of the eWolf.
It will use the design and on-site construction management of Crowley Engineering Services as well as the Jensen Maritime naval architecture and marine engineering group, which was recently merged with Crowley.
The battery system of the eTug will be charged at a shoreside station, developed with Cochran Marine.
In a statement, Crowley said: “The eTug will feature a fully integrated electrical package provided by ABB. With 360-degree visibility, the eTug will also feature ABB’s artificial intelligence (AI) technology to increase safety and efficiency for mariners and provide sustainable performance with the reliability that customers demand.”
