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Industry milestone: Svitzer's first methanol-hybrid tug launched
A Turkish shipyard has built an escort tugboat with a large energy storage system and two methanol engines for one of the world’s largest owners
Uzmar has launched the world’s first methanol-hybrid tug at its shipyard in Turkey for Svitzer’s growing operations in Scandinavia.
Svitzer Balder has been built to a TRAnsverse design, developed by Svitzer and Robert Allan Ltd, with a 6,000-kWh battery system, two 350-kW methanol engines, and a 2,000-kW diesel engine.
The Copenhagen, Denmark-headquartered owner said it will be "the largest and most powerful TRAnsverse tug we have ever built."
The 35-m tug has a draught of 6 m, a bollard pull of 85 tonnes and will be mobilised to the Port of Gothenburg, Sweden, in time for Riviera’s International Tug & Salvage Convention in May 2026, to provide near-zero emissions when towing, manoeuvring and docking ships, such as Maersk Line’s methanol-fuelled container carriers.
Svitzer Balder’s launch required heavy lifting equipment as the tug weighs 1,070 tonnes without batteries or full equipment.
It will take a few more months to prepare the tug, conduct sea trials, and deliver it to Gothenburg.
"It is one of the biggest tugs we have ever built, and probably also the most complex because of its different fuel systems," said Svitzer site manager Jens Kumler Rasmussen. "So it is a massive task building this awesome tug."
Riviera’s 28th International Tug & Salvage Convention, Exhibition & Awards will be held in Gothenburg, Sweden, in association with Caterpillar, 19-21 May 2026. Use this link for more details of this industry event and the associated social and networking opportunities.
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