Sanmar has signed a contract with towage and marine services provider Svitzer to build a fully electric tug, which will be deployed in Scandinavia to provide services between Denmark and Sweden.
Svitzer’s electric tug specifications
The Copenhagen-headquartered operator has ordered a new ASD tugboat, with a 1,818kWh battery and 70-ton bollard pull (TBP). The vessel is based on the exclusive-to-Sanmar ElectRA 2500-SX design from Canadian naval architects Robert Allan.
Measuring 25.4m LOA, with a 5.6m draft and 12.86m beam, the tug will be able to operate safely and efficiently on electrical power only. It will also have two generators for backup, extended endurance and firefighting operations.
The tug will be constructed at Sanmar’s purpose-built, environmentally friendly shipyards in the heart of the Turkish maritime sector, and is scheduled to be delivered in the second half of 2025.
Decarbonizing towage operations
According to the partners, the vessel will also contribute to achieving the ambitious targets Svitzer has set for decarbonizing its global operations, to benefit its customers and communities.
ElectRA tugs, available in a range of sizes (19-28m) and power outputs (40-85 TBP), are the result of Sanmar’s ongoing collaboration with Robert Allan and Corvus Energy to build low and no-emission tugs, using alternative fuels and innovative technological advances to protect the environment and build a sustainable tug and towing industry.
Mathias Jonasson, managing director of Svitzer Scandinavia, said, “In recent years, we have experienced an increasing demand for green towage services in Scandinavia, including the Sound. At the same time, we have committed to doing our part to significantly reduce CO2 emissions in the industry by 2030. Getting a new battery tug solves both challenges as we can continue to provide reliable and safe services to our customers while reducing the carbon footprint.”
Tamer Geçkin, R&D and electrical systems director at Sanmar Shipyards, added, “We are delighted to support Svitzer in decarbonizing their fleet and building this new high-performing battery tug. It will have all the quality characteristics expected from a premium tug built at Sanmar Shipyards; a big, power-efficient battery powers it. Thereby, it represents the future for many tug operations.
“From the start of the ElectRA project, we and our partners have been determined that the move to alternative eco-friendly fuels and propulsion systems should come with no loss of power or performance. Our industry is changing, with the need to protect the environment now high on the list of new-build specifications and operational objectives. At Sanmar, we are proud to be leading the way to a cleaner, greener, sustainable low and no emissions tug and towage industry.”
In related news, Damen Shipyards Group recently ordered eight Voith Schneider Propellers (VSPs) to deliver four new Voith Water Tractors (VWTs) with hybrid propulsion systems to towage services company Boluda Towage. Click here to read the full story.