Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (‘K’ Line) subsidiary Daito Corporation has signed a contract for construction of an electric tugboat, powered by a large-capacity lithium-ion battery, with Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI).
The electric tugboat is to be equipped with a high-capacity battery of 3.2 MWh and operate using green electricity. Using battery power significantly reduces fuel consumption and CO2 emissions compared to conventional tugboats with oil-fuelled engines.
The newly developed hull design and the use of IoT technologies for automatic control of onboard power demands enable energy consumption to be optimised for efficiency and performance. This is expected to result in about 60% lower CO2 emissions compared to traditional tugboats.
The initiative is part of a subsidised grant programme for the Promotion of Energy Efficiency and Non-Fossil Energy Transition in the Transportation Sector (Innovative Navigation Efficiency and Transition to Non-Fossil Energy for Coastal Shipping), a collaboration between Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, playing a significant role in the coastal shipping industry’s environmental initiatives.
The EV tugboat is being constructed by Daizo, as shipbuilder, with KHI providing the control and propulsion systems and its integration. The completion is scheduled for May 2027, and it will offer towage service for vessels at Yokohama Port and Kawasaki Port, contributing to the development of carbon-neutral ports (CNP) in both locations.
Image: Rendering of Daizo/KHI all-electric tug (source: ‘K’ Line)
