Tugs with green propulsion surge ahead

A new flagship escort tug: HaiSea’s RAstar 4000-DF.

An electrifying first: the ElectRA 2800 for HaiSea Marine.

Global tugboat industry’s eyes are fixated on B.C.’s leading edge fleet investments

Ayear ago in this same column, a story was told of a building wave of state-of-the-art tugs for B.C., and how that wave could crest ever higher in 2020 and beyond. This past year has certainly not disappointed. Readers will be familiar with the recent acquisitions of Seaspan Raptor and Seaspan Harrier for operations in Vancouver, a powerful pair of 70-tonne bollard pull RAmparts 2400 class tugs designed by B.C.’s Robert Allan Ltd. and built by Turkey’s Sanmar Shipyards. But there is quite literally much more building to occur before this wave nears any crest.

In March, it was announced that HaiSea Marine will be acquiring a cutting-edge fleet for the LNG Canada export facility in Kitimat. HaiSea, the joint venture between the Haisla First Nation, whose unceded traditional territory includes Kitimat, and Seaspan Marine Transportation, will operate a trio of dedicated harbour tugs, as well as several ultra-high performance escort tugs to fulfil their 12-year commitment to provide tug services to the facility. The world will take notice.

The harbour tugs have been custom designed for the operation by Robert Allan Ltd., and will be the firsts of its ElectRA series of electrically propelled tugs. With an unrivalled maximum battery capacity of over 6,000 kWh, HaiSea’s ElectRA 2800 tugs will easily be the most capable of their kind in the world. Their large battery banks will allow these tugs to perform most of their duties with zero emissions by virtue of stored energy replenished between missions at HaiSea’s charging station, itself connected to the hydroelectric grid. Together, this fleet of harbour tugs is expected to void over 5,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year (approximately equal to 1,000 cars),

and nearly eliminate other airborne contaminants. What a fantastic example to the world of what is possible.

With increasing focus on underwater-radiated noise, it is also noteworthy that these tugs’ battery electric propulsion should make them exceptionally quiet, with testing to be performed upon delivery. The entire tug fleet is also designed to receive the American Bureau of Shipping’s (ABS) “ENVIRO” environmental protection notation, which should be a worldwide first for tugs according to ABS.

The escort tugs, tasked with escorting any size of LNG carrier along a 159-nautical-mile journey from Kitimat to the pilot station near Triple Island, and vice versa, itself the longest known escort route in the world, will be just as impressive. At just over 40 metres of length, these mega-tugs reflect the best available technology for the mission. Close derivatives of Robert Allan Ltd.’s highly acclaimed RAstar 4000-DF series, which have proven themselves in challenging conditions in a similar role off the northern coast of Norway, they feature dual fuel (LNG and diesel) engines. The large LNG storage tank fitted on each of these escort tugs will allow them to perform their missions on cleaner burning LNG and they will be capable of delivering exceptionally high performance while operating on the fuel. Specifically, their ability to safely generate indirect escort forces of up to 200 tonnes will leave them with few rivals anywhere in the world.

Equipped with suites of state-ofthe art machinery, this fleet will legitimately be the pride of the local community and the envy of operators across the globe. But perhaps more importantly, these tugs will demonstrate to all that the era of low-emissions propulsion can be now, that the technologies are mature and ready, and that what will soon be showcased to the world is an example of a path to a lowercarbon and more environmentally friendly future. Let’s all hope that others will very soon follow in the path being trailblazed from right here at home. Ü

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