Damen Shipyards and Boluda Towage have joined forces to bring zero-emissions tugs to Europe, with the intention of launching Europe’s first methanol-fuelled tug.
The two organisations, with nearly 200 years of tugboat experience between them, will base this first vessel on the Damen RSD-E Tug 2513 design, and the partners are now working to identify the potential harbour that will be best matched to its operational profile.
Damen is currently developing the methanol powered tug as part of its mission to be the world’s most sustainable shipbuilder. The methanol tug design will make use of Damen’s experience and knowledge and its R&D capability in alternative sustainable propulsion systems.
Boluda, as a global towage company, and Damen as an innovative shipbuilder, share a strong commitment towards environmental sustainability, safety and operational excellence. Boluda Towage has been investing for years in order to achieve cleaner and greener operations in ports. An important milestone in its ambition to work towards lower emissions has been a multiple order of IMO Tier III tugs in 2020.
Boluda Towage and Damen Shipyards look forward to working with other maritime stakeholders to accelerate the transition to cleaner vessels, particularly those operating in or close to urban areas. In the harbour and towage sector, electric and methanol-fuelled propulsion systems are currently considered to offer the best and most available route to achieve this.
Vicente Boluda Ceballos, Vice Chairman Boluda Towage, said: “We are very proud of this collaboration/partnership with Damen Shipyards, which represents an important technological and innovative advancement for our industry. We know that we are in an increasingly complex environment that requires us to always be at the leading edge of solutions to increase safety in our operations, limit our environmental carbon footprint and meet the needs of our customers. With that purpose in mind, we are eager to continue our journey towards the future as a leader in the towage and maritime industry.”
Arnout Damen, CEO of Damen Shipyards Group, added: “We are delighted to be working with Boluda Towage on what will be a new chapter in European towage. Not only is this project in keeping with our own values, we also aim to give added momentum to the transition to sustainable harbor towage as the benefits that both electric and methanol-driven vessels deliver will be there for all to see. To aid this process we are already building RSD-E Tugs 2513 for stock and a number will be available for delivery in 2024/25”.
