Owners turn to electric power for ship towage 

Orders for tugboats with electric propulsion, hybrid-electric systems and energy storage systems (ESS) on board have surged as ports aim for emissions-free ship towage and docking.

Gobal shipyards are building tugboats with battery modules to deliver electric power to thrusters, minimising pollutants from handling, manoeuvring, towing and berthing ships in harbours.

And to accommodate electric-powered tugs, ports are installing dedicated charging stations and encouraging owners to invest in fleet renewal to cut emissions of sulphur, nitrogen and carbon oxides and particulate matter.

To date, around 50 tugboats, pusher vessels and towboats operate with energy storage systems on board either providing full power for propulsion or as part of a hybrid-electric configuration, according to information collated by International Tug & Salvage. Of these, 11 were completed and four have been launched so far in 2025, and 12 were delivered in 2024. Another seven electric-powered tugs and pusher vessels could be completed by 31 December 2025. 

Turkey remains the biggest building nation for battery-powered tugboats, but China is building up experience in constructing these vessels.

Damen Shipyards in Vietnam has produced several electric tugs, with these vessels operating in New Zealand, Belgium, India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The latest, Aqua Stentor was unveiled in Jawaharlal Nehru Port, near Mumbai, India, in September 2025.

Other nations producing electric-powered tugs include Japan, South Korea, the Netherlands and the US, while Brazil has built hybrid-electric pusher vessels and Spain has completed tugs with hybrid propulsion.

China now has the most operating electric tugboats, at 10, as the nation’s ports seek to reduce emissions in harbours and river estuaries.  

It will be overtaken by Panama in the next two years, as the Panama Canal Authority has ordered 10 tugboats with hybrid-electric propulsion from Armon Shipyards in Spain and has confirmed an option for another 10 of these vessels. Of these, three have been completed, with Isla Barro Colorado in Cristobal, Isla Bastimentos in Pena Blanca, Panama and Isla Bona on its way to Panama from Vigo, Spain, according to Automatic Identification System (AIS) data.

These 29-m tractor tugs have a beam of 14 m, a maximum draught of just over 6 m, and two diesel main engines, each with 2,331 kW of power, supported by a 445-kW battery pack, to drive two thrusters and generate a bollard pull of 80 tonnes. Hybrid propulsion reduces the amount of CO2 emitted during transits and mobilisations and increases the available power for ship handling and towage. These tugs also have a FiFi1 system for fighting fires and enhanced accommodation for crew.