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Seabulk welcomes new hybrid tug for a greener US fleet
Seabulk Towage has taken delivery of a new electric-hybrid tugboat for ship assistance with lower emissions
Master Boat Builders completed Spartan at its shipyard in Coden, Alabama as part of a series of harbour tugs it is building for Seabulk.
“Spartan is the latest addition to our fleet and constitutes the first of two hybrid diesel-electric vessels commissioned from Master Boat Builders,” said Seabulk chief executive Daniel Thorogood.
Spartan was designed by Robert Allan and built to meet US Coast Guard regulations and ABS class for an escort tug. It has bollard pull of 90 tonnes, an overall length of 30 m and a beam of 13 m.
Its integrated hybrid propulsion system, provided by Thompson Tractor, includes three Caterpillar generators and two ABB propulsion motors and associated variable frequency drives.
Spartan has two Cat 3512E main engines, which each produce 1,900 kW and comply with US Environmental Protection Agency Tier 4 emissions requirements, and two Berg MTA 628 azimuth thrusters.
Berg also supplied its own VS3 variable frequency drives with motors, and its own hybrid control system, Berg’s design, supply, and integration includes the switchboard with full power management plus control of the tug’s twin main engines.
“Spartan is representative of the advanced workmanship and ability to deliver modern, cutting-edge marine technology,” said Mr Thorogood. “We look forward to continuing to deliver service excellence and offering our customers a more sustainable towing solution,” he said.
Master Boat Builders has already delivered one of these Rotortugs and has two more under construction.
The first tug in this series, Nike, was welcomed into the fleet in December 2021. Hermes and Titan are also being built as ABS-class escort tugboats for Seabulk.
“As the maritime industry continues to evolve and modernise its fleet, we are proud to deliver this hybrid tugboat, which will serve as the most efficient technologically advanced tug operating in the US,” said Master Boat Builders president Garrett Rice.
“Spartan is the latest in a series of innovative and alternative-powered workboats we are constructing and will continue to deliver as demand in this market expands.”
Berg Propulsion said its hybrid-electric propulsion system includes high levels of redundancy for safety and the ability to easily switch between operating modes.
A vessel can run on main engines only, gensets only, or a combination of the two, optimising energy use across the entire operating profile. A tug in transit can minimise energy consumption and eliminate main engine wear by running on a single generator set. In hybrid mode, power is balanced between the diesel engines and electrical motors to optimise fuel consumption, manoeuvring response and bollard performance.
The package’s installation was managed at the yard by Thompson Marine who serve as Berg’s distributor and partner in the area.
“Thompson Marine managed the details from the earliest design phase through sea trials together with Master Boat Builders, Seabulk, Berg Propulsion, and Caterpillar,” said Thompson Marine marine business manager Richard Tremayne.
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