Crowley to build and operate first fully electric tugboat in US

The 82-foot vessel with 70 tonnes of bollard pull advances Crowley and the maritime industry’s efforts toward sustainability and decarbonisation. Over the first 10 years of its use, the operation of the new eTug will reduce 178 tonnes of nitrogen oxide (NOx), 2.5 tonnes of diesel particulate matter, and 3,100 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) versus a conventional tug.

The electric tug will replace one that consumes more than 30,000 gallons of diesel per year. The eTug will operate at the Port of San Diego’s Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal and will be operational by mid-2023.

“The eWolf represents everything Crowley stands for: innovation, sustainability and performance. With this ground-breaking tug design, our team continues to embrace our role as leaders in the maritime industry while providing our customers with innovative and sustainable solutions done right,” said company Chairman and CEO Tom Crowley.

The eTug will be built by Master Boat Builders in Coden, Ala., utilising the design and on-site construction management by Crowley Engineering Services and its recently integrated Jensen Maritime naval architecture and marine engineering group. The eTug’s battery system will be charged at a specially designed, shoreside station developed with Cochran Marine.

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“Crowley’s first-of-its-kind electric tugboat is a game changer. It checks all the boxes by providing environmental, economic, and operational benefits for our communities and maritime industry,” said Chairman Michael Zucchet of the Port of San Diego Board of Port Commissioners.

The eWolf will feature a design that allows the vessel to operate fully electric with full performance capabilities – and zero carbon emissions and will feature a fully integrated electrical package provided by ABB. With 360-degree visibility, the eTug will also feature ABB’s artificial intelligence technology (AI) to increase safety and efficiency for mariners and provide sustainable performance with the reliability customers demand.

“Our dedicated shipbuilding employees are proud to be working with Crowley to lead innovation with the construction of this first-of-its-kind tugboat,” said Garrett Rice, president of Master Boat Builders. “This vessel will set a standard in the US maritime industry for sustainability and performance, and its zero-emissions capability and autonomous technology will benefit the environment and the safety of mariners and vessels.”

The eTug will be a result of partnership among Crowley, the San Diego County Air Pollution Control District, the California Air Resources Board, the Port of San Diego, the US Environmental Protection Agency and the US Maritime Administration, which all provided financial support and other resources.

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