HaiSea Marine in Canada has taken delivery of a second electric tugboat from Sanmar Shipyards. The new vessel, HaiSea Wee’Git, will work alongside its sister, HaiSea Wamis, as a key member of the fleet, which also includes HaiSea’s two Sanmar-built dual-fuel (LNG and diesel) escort tugs. A third electric tug, HaiSea Brave, will be delivered later this year.
HaiSea Marine is a joint venture, majority owned by the Haisla Nation in partnership with Seaspan, and has a major contract providing harbor and escort tugboat services to tankers calling at LNG Canada’s new export facility in Kitimat, British Columbia.
Like its sisters, HaiSea Wee’Git is based on the exclusive-to-Sanmar ElectRA 2800SX design from Vancouver-headquartered naval architects Robert Allan. With approximately 70 tons bollard pull, a top speed of 12kts and 6,000kWh of battery capacity, it will perform all ship-berthing and unberthing missions on battery power.
Taking advantage of the clean hydroelectric power available in Kitimat, the tug will be able to recharge from dedicated shore charging facilities at its berth between jobs.
HaiSea’s green tug fleet is expected to reduce emissions of CO2 by approximately 10,000 tons per annum compared to diesel-powered alternatives, with major reductions of NOx, SOx, CO and particulate matter as well. The electric harbor tugs are also quiet, both on board and in terms of underwater radiated noise, further enhancing the protection of both marine and wildlife in the area.
“The delivery of HaiSea Wee’Git is another marker along the road to a sustainable, environmentally friendly tug and towing industry,” said Ali Gurun, chairman of Sanmar Shipyards. “The importance of the delivery of these game-changing tugs to our entire industry cannot be overestimated.
“Emissions-free harbor tugs are no longer just a dream. At Sanmar, we are delighted to be at the forefront of this change. As you can imagine, we have had a lot of interest in the ElectRA series from operators around the world.”
Sanmar will deliver a further four ElectRA Series this year. Two will be delivered to South America operator SAAM Towage, one to Bukser og Berging in Norway and one to Sanmar’s own fleet in Turkey.