World’s first ElectRA battery-powered tug delivered

Haisea Wamis harbour tug was built in Turkey and is heading across the Atlantic on its route to British Columbia, western Canada, after a stop over in Tenerife, according to automatic identification system (AIS) data.

It will be part of a new fleet of harbour and escort tugs supporting gas carriers loading at LNG Canada’s new export centre in Kitimat. 

Haisea Wamis is the first tug built to Robert Allan Ltd’s ElectRA 2800SX design, with Sanmar Shipyards building two more for deliveries later this year.

It is equipped with two steerable, azimuth L-drive propulsion units with fixed pitch propellers, powered by electric motors integrated on top of each unit.

This tug’s fully electric propulsion system is supported by a battery-energy storage system.

“ABS is a leader in the marine industry for supporting and enabling the electrification of assets,” said ABS Senior vice president for global business development Vassilios Kroustallis.

“Hybrid-electric power systems offer the opportunity to improve safety, reliability, operational efficiency, and reduce the fuel consumption, environmental footprint and equipment maintenance when compared with traditional electrical power systems.”

Sanmar Shipyards director of engineering Hakan Tunc worked closely with ABS during the construction of Haisea Wamis and the other two ElectRA 2800SX harbour tugs, HaiSea Wee’Git and HaiSea Brave.

“We appreciate the critical role ABS played, providing class services and supporting safety throughout the design and construction,” said Mr Tunc.

This ElectRA tug is equipped with 3,616 kWh Corvus Orca energy batteries. This ESS is an combination of Orca Energy Tallpack and the standard Orca Energy Pack.