Posted on May 8, 2024
The joint venture between the Haisla Nation and Seaspan ULC is operating three battery-electric harbour tugboats and two LNG dual-fuel escort tugs in British Columbia to support gas tankers at the soon-to-open LNG Canada terminal in Kitimat
These were built by Sanmar Shipyards to Robert Allan Ltd designs to have the lowest emissions possible from ship escort, towage, manoeuvring, berthing and undocking.
The last of these to be built, LNG powered HaiSea Warrior, arrived in Vancouver in March 2024 as the sister vessel to HaiSea Kermode. These were built to RAstar 4000-DF design with Wärtsilä 6L34DF dual fuel (diesel and LNG) main engines, each 3,000 kW at 750 rpm, driving two Schottel SRP 610 Z-drives with 3.2-m diameter controllable pitch propellers in efficiency nozzles.
They have a Wärtsilä LNGPac double-wall vacuum-insulated tank with integral connection space and airlocks, a Schottel STT 170 electrically driven, fixed-pitch bow thruster in the skeg with a 250-kW permanent magnet motor and LeaCon leak protection system and a Schottel class 1 dynamic positioning system.
The two dual-fuel tugs also have two Caterpillar-manufactured generator sets, Cat C18 to generate 565 ekW at 60 Hz and one Cat C7.1, 200 ekW at 60 Hz, and a selective catalytic reduction unit exhaust aftertreatment system for IMO Tier III compliance.
Three battery-electric tugs – HaiSea Brave, HaiSea Wee’git, and HaiSea Wamis (ITS Tug of the Year 2023) – were built to ElectRA 2800 design with Corvus Orca batteries with 5.3 MWh capacity and two Schottel SRP 460 L-drives, each with an input of 2,300 kW and a 2,600-mm diameter propeller in a nozzle.
The five tugs are the first to ever receive class society ABS’ ENVIRO+ notation, its highest environmental standard available.
HaiSea Wamis was the first tug to receive an underwater radiated noise notation (ABS UWN), with underwater noise levels in transit a mere one-tenth that of an equivalent diesel mechanical tug.
“Airborne emissions of both tug types are also mere fractions of traditional counterparts, with the battery-electric tugs emitting zero CO2 or other greenhouse gases when operating on their large battery banks charged from the clean local hydroelectric power grid,” said Robert Allan.
“Easily compliant with IMO Tier III emissions standards in any mode of operation, such standards are merely a baseline for what these tugs have achieved.”
The 27th International Tug & Salvage Convention, Exhibition & Awards will be held in association with Caterpillar in Dubai, UAE, 21-23 May 2024. Use this link for more details of this industry event and the associated social and networking opportunities
