Danish towage operator Svitzer is adding another battery-powered newbuild to its fleet. The Copenhagen-based group with more than 450 vessels has contracted the Turkish Sanmar Shipyard to build the unit for delivery in the second half of 2025.
The electric tug, based on the design of naval architect Robert Allan, will be 25 m long and have a 70-tonne bollard pull. It will feature a 1,818 kWh battery, enabling the tug to operate on electrical power only, supported by two generators for backup, range extension and firefighting operations.
Svitzer, which operates at more than 140 ports and 40 terminals across 37 countries, said it plans to use the newbuild in the Øresund Strait between Denmark and Sweden.
Last September, the company claimed the order for the world’s first battery-methanol tug. This unit will be nearly 35 m long, have a BP ahead of 85 tonnes, and will also be built in Turkey at Uzmar shipyard. The tug will sport a 6MWh battery, backed by dual-fuel methanol engines, and carry out up to 25% of its work in the port of Gothenburg in Sweden.
“In recent years, we have experienced an increasing demand for green towage services in Scandinavia, including the Øresund Strait. 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-powered tug solves both challenges as we can continue to provide reliable and safe services to our customers while reducing the carbon footprint,” said Mathias Jonasson, Svitzer’s managing director for Scandinavia.
Energy News Beat