Canada celebrates the historic arrival of its first fully electric tugboat
Wednesday, 26th July 2023
Canada celebrates the historic arrival of its first fully electric tugboat, the HaiSea Wamis, built by Sanmar Shipyards in Turkey.
This vessel marks the beginning of a series of three ElectRA 2800 battery electric harbour tugs commissioned for HaiSea Marine, a joint venture between the Haisla First Nation and Seaspan ULC.
Alongside dual-fuel escort tugs, the fleet will navigate the Douglas Channel to Kitimat, serving LNG carriers at the LNG Canada export facility within the Haisla Nation’s traditional territory.
The ElectRA 2800 series, designed specifically for LNG carrier assistance, features three fully electric tugboats. These ABS-classed vessels are equipped with Corvus’ Orca Energy ESS and boast a total battery capacity of 5,288 kWh, powering two Schottel azimuthing L-drive propulsion units with integrated electric motors. Each tug also incorporates a pair of Caterpillar C32 generators, although all operations will be conducted using electricity.
Recharging at shore facilities using hydroelectric power in Kitimat allows the harbour tugs to achieve near-zero emissions when operating on batteries, enhancing their environmental sustainability. Additionally, the fleet includes two powerful 40-meter RAstar 4000-DF escort tugs, operating on dual fuel (LNG and diesel) and offering a bollard pull of 100 tonnes, making them the most formidable on Canada’s west coast.
Specifications of the ElectRA 2800 tugboat include a length overall of 28.4 meters, a molded breadth of 13 meters, a navigational draft of 5.9 meters, and an international gross tonnage of 472. It can accommodate a regular crew of four and a maximum of six persons.
The tugboat achieves a full speed of 12.0-12.5 knots on batteries alone, while endurance transit speed reaches 8-10 knots when utilising generators. Its bollard pull is estimated at 65 tonnes throughout its lifespan, approximately 70 tonnes on batteries during trials, and around 35 tonnes when operating on generators.
