Holland Shipyards Group developed the battery-powered port tugboat using its EDDY series of designs
Its EDDY 24-50 E design is a 25-m tug with around 50 tonnes of bollard pull with power coming from energy storage systems charged from shore. This tug could operate emissions-free using batteries charged from onshore stations in a few minutes several times a day, or be charged once a day during its rest time over a longer period, depending on the availability of onshore charging stations, the tug’s operational profile and demands on its services in ports.
Holland Shipyards said this is a “great way to work on sustainability, and has economic advantages”.
It predicts cost savings on fuel and maintenance mean “an estimated return on investment of seven years.”
“The electrification of harbour tugs is particularly interesting given they usually operate in the same area, and charging systems are easily accessible to them,” said Holland Shipyards. “As tugs operate daily in busy ports, making green operations possible with a fully electric harbour tug is only logical.”
Holland Shipyards said the EDDY tugs were designed and built around three core criteria: safety, performance and economy. They have a slim hull shape, resulting in 30% lower resistance compared with other tug designs.
The shipbuilder claimed EDDY tugs have stability, safer operations and better performance compared with azimuth stern drive, azimuth tractor drive and reverse stern drive tugs as they have a lower staple point and centre of gravity.
“The EDDY’s waterline shape is a winged profile, allowing the vessel to generate lift with the hull and thus generate most escort forces.”
These tugs can generate bollard pull in 360° for optimum escort tug performance, as they have a thruster at the forward end of the vessel and one on the aft.
Holland Shipyards has previously developed and built diesel-electric harbour tugs and electric vessels, completing an EDDY 30-65 design harbour tug for FFS Marine in 2020.
FFS Athos has a hybrid drive train, with an overall length of 30 m and beam of 13 m, a bollard pull of 65 tonnes and service speed of 12 knots.
Holland Shipyards has completed projects for owners in Norway, Germany and the Netherlands, including more than 12 projects in the past two years, involving fully electric vessels such as the recent NZK series for GVB Amsterdam, with an innovative shore-charging system.
© 2023 Riviera Maritime Media Ltd.