Tugboats may be the next transport segment to start going green. Crowley Maritime Corporation will build and operate an all-electric harbor tugboat called eWolf for the Port of San Diego.

The eWolf is an 82-foot vessel with 70 tons of bollard pull. It will operate at the Port of San Diego’s Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal, and will be operational by mid-2023. The electric tug will replace one that consumes more than 30,000 gallons of diesel per year, and is expected to eliminate emissions of 178 tons of nitrogen oxide, 2.5 tons of particulate matter, and 3,100 tons of CO₂ in its first 10 years of operation.

“The eWolf represents everything Crowley stands for: innovation, sustainability and performance,” said company Chairman and CEO Tom Crowley.

The eWolf will be built by Master Boat Builders in Coden, Alabama, using on-site construction management by Crowley Engineering Services. It features an integrated electrical package provided by ABB. The battery system will be charged at a shoreside station developed with Cochran Marine.

“Crowley’s first-of-its-kind electric tugboat is a game changer, 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.

Source: Crowley