Crowley has announced plans to build and operate the fully-electric tugboat in the United States.
The vessel, named eWolf, is bound for the Port of San Diego’s Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal where it will conduct ship assist and escort services without a single drop of fuel from mid-2023.
“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,” said company Chairman and CEO Tom Crowley.
According to Crowley, over the first 10 years of its use, the operation of the new “eTug” will save 178 tons of nitrogen oxide (NOx), 2.5 tons of diesel particulate matter, and 3,100 metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) versus a conventional tug. The electric tug will replace one that consumes more than 30,000 gallons of diesel per year.
Built by Master Boat Builders in Coden, Alabama, the 82-foot vessel will have 70 tons of bollard pull. Design and on-site construction management will be provided by Crowley Engineering Services and its recently integrated Jensen Maritime naval architecture and marine engineering group. The eTug’s battery system will be charged at a specially designed, shoreside station developed with Cochran Marine.
“Crowley’s first-of-its-kind electric tugboat is a game changer. It checks all the boxes by providing environmental, economic, and operational benefits for our communities and maritime industry,” said Chairman Michael Zucchet of the Port of San Diego Board of Port Commissioners. “We are proud to work with Crowley and couldn’t be more pleased the eWolf will operate exclusively on San Diego Bay.”
The zero-emission eTug will have a fully integrated electrical package provided by ABB. With 360-degree visibility, the eTug will also come with ABB’s artificial intelligence technology (AI) to increase safety and efficiency for mariners and provide sustainable performance with the reliability customers demand.
“Our dedicated shipbuilding employees are proud to be working with Crowley to lead innovation with the construction of this first-of-its-kind tugboat,” said Garrett Rice, president of Master Boat Builders. “This vessel will set a standard in the U.S. maritime industry for sustainability and performance, and its zero-emissions capability and autonomous technology will benefit the environment and the safety of mariners and vessels.”
The eTug is being developed through a partnership involving Crowley, the San Diego County Air Pollution Control District, the California Air Resources Board, the Port of San Diego, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Maritime Administration, which all provided financial support and other resources.
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