Seacor takes an environmental stand with carbon offsetting investment

Seacor Holdings will join a carbon offset project to neutralise carbon emissions from the physical operation of its harbour tugs.

The project will help Seacor’s subsidiary Seabulk Towing Holdings lower its environmental impact by offsetting emissions from harbour tugs operating throughout Florida, Alabama, Louisiana and Texas.

Seabulk chief executive Daniel Thorogood said investment in green projects is part of the tug owner’s way of supporting its customers that “prefer lower carbon supply-chain solutions”.

Seabulk, through its affiliates, currently provides around 22,000 harbour assists each year in US ports.

“Our investment in an accredited carbon offset programme demonstrates Seabulk’s commitment through this initial step toward longer-term solutions that improve or eliminate direct emissions from our equipment,” said Mr Thorogood.

Seabulk has a longer-term plan to reduce emissions from harbour and deepsea towage operations. It has four new harbour tugs on order from Alabama-based Master Boat Builders for delivery in H2 2021 and 2022.

Seabulk said these tugs combined will provide 70% reductions in nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter, compared to the tugs being replaced. Two will have hybrid propulsion systems with diesel-mechanical engines and electric motors, improving fuel economy relative to conventional diesel-mechanical harbour tugs. Master Boat Builders is building these two azimuth stern drive tugs with space for future battery installation.

The other two harbour tugs it is building for Seabulk will be built as advanced Rotortugs with NOx capturing technology.

“At Seabulk, we are focused on reducing our environmental footprint with all available tools, including innovations that improve operational efficiencies and investing in the cleanest technologies, such as our four new harbour tugs,” said Mr Thorogood.

Seabulk is also reducing emissions from its deepsea vessel operations under its subsidiary Ocean Transportation & Logistics Services.

Mr Thorogood said these vessels “offer some of the most fuel-efficient Jones Act transportation solutions in the US coastal petroleum and chemical products trades.”

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Seabulk operates a fleet of 27 vessels. It provides towage services in seven ports in the US Gulf and Florida and provides offshore towing for short- and long-term project requirements.

Seabulk is also a partner in Kotug Seabulk Maritime Services, which provides towage services to ships in the Buckeye Bahamas Hub Terminal on Grand Bahama island.