US Naval architecture and marine engineering company Glosten has joined forces with ABB in the development of a methanol-hybrid ship-assist tug design intended to provide operators with a path to decarbonisation at lower operating cost.
The SA-100 ASD harbour tug is about 30m in length and designed to measure under 100gt. It draws its power from a pair of methanol-compatible CAT 3512E gensets, with battery banks, using L-drive propulsion units with electric motors. The batteries can be used alone for zero-emission operation when in transit, peak shaving during general operation, and when the full 90t bollard pull is needed, the engines and batteries can be combined.
Glosten tug design head Peter Soles said: “We had three primary design objectives in developing this tug—all intended to benefit the owner/operator. First, to provide assurance of regulatory compliance and future adaptability; second, to achieve meaningful improvement in environmental performance; and lastly, to control Opex costs such that assist services can still be offered at competitive rates.”
ABB Marine & Ports VP global workboat sales Dave Lee added: “Every tug operator is trying to determine their company’s path through this new hybrid and electric world. The SA-100 design is the perfect stepping off point for those that cannot leap headlong into all-electric propulsion. With this design, the operator will reap some of the instant power availability and operational savings of an electric vessel, without the need to ‘plug in’ at the dock. At the same time, it will allow them to realise a substantial reduction in EPA criteria emissions.”
