Article

ABB to power first fully electric U.S. tugboat for maximum efficiency and zero-emission operations


published on 30 July 2021 66 -

Text by ABB, image by Crowley Engineering Services

ABB will deliver an integrated electric propulsion system and advanced vessel control technology for Crowley’s pioneering eWolf tug, built for sustainable and safe operations at the Port of San Diego.

Upon delivery by Alabama-based shipbuilder Master Boat Builders, Inc. (MBB) in mid-2023, Crowley Maritime Corporation’s new 82-foot (25-meter) vessel will support ship arrivals and departures at the Port of San Diego in California. It will be the first all-electric, battery-powered harbor tug ever built and operated in the United States and only the third of its kind to enter operations worldwide.

Tug operations can be demanding and often need to adapt to fast-changing load requirements. Batteries provide power to the propulsion system almost instantaneously, making ship-assist operations more efficient with no emissions while delivering reliable ship assist and harbor escort services.

Under a contract with MBB, ABB is supplying the end-to-end electric propulsion system to sustain emissions-free operations in waters off the eighth most populous city in the United States. The solution will include a six-megawatt-hour energy storage system (ESS), allowing Crowley’s eWolf tug to achieve 70 short-tons of bollard pull emissions-free. The battery allows the tug to complete a full day of typical work before there is a need to charge.

Achieving lower operational costs on a through-life basis than an equivalent vessel running a conventional engine, the all-electric propulsion solution holds the potential to eliminate the equivalent of over 100 cars worth of CO2 pollution every year, according to ABB.

The new vessel will embody Crowley’s commitment to sustainable shipping solutions going forward.

“The eWolf’s innovative propulsion system and advanced control technology will provide a sustainable ship assist solution with increased safety and capabilities,” said Crowley’s Porter Sesnon, director, business development for ship assist and offshore services. “Crowley looks forward to working with ABB and Master Boat Builders to deliver this groundbreaking ship assist tug and to provide customers in San Diego with a zero-emission, high-performing vessel.”

Systems on board will also feature products from the ABB Ability™ Marine Pilot family for enhancing crew safety and reducing workload. ABB Ability™ Marine Pilot Vision situational awareness solution will provide 360-degree visibility from the pilot’s station, and ABB Ability™ Marine Control will enable maneuvering support and future remote operations.

“At ABB, we are pioneering the adoption of electric, digital and connected technologies for greater sustainability in the Americas and globally, as well as helping shipowners deploy the automated systems that advance maritime safety,” said David Lee, Senior Account Manager – Commercial Vessels, ABB Marine & Ports. “It is an honor to have been selected by Crowley – a company renowned for reliability in service provision, whose goals on the environment and safety align so closely with our own.”

In addition to systems integration, engineering and automation on the newbuilding, ABB will supply the award-wining Onboard DC Grid™ power distribution system platform for optimized energy use. Onboard DC Grid™ enables seamless integration of battery for zero-emissions operations by using renewables as an energy source. The full scope of supply also includes propulsion motors, low-voltage switchboards, transformers, li-ion batteries, mechanical L-drive thrusters and the ABB Ability™ Remote Diagnostics System for Marine for continuous equipment monitoring and predictive maintenance.

What's your opinion on this?
Login or register to write comments and join the discussion!
Read more...

Article Jamaica: Pilots demanding COVID vaccination or they stop working

published on 10 April 2021

President of the Marine Pilot Association, Hubert Kerr, said that the pilots will not be satisfied with just being placed on a priority list, but are instead advocating for the actual jab to boost their protection against COVID-19, given their interaction with persons from different countries daily.

0

Article 2 MOL-operated Vessels Earn 2021 'Best Quality Ship Awards'

published on 4 July 2022

TOKYO-Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL; President & CEO: Takeshi Hashimoto) today announced that the Japan Federation of Pilots' Association (JFPA) (Note 1) has presented its Best Quality Ship Award for fiscal year (FY) 2021 to two MOL-operated vessels—the LNG carrier LNG SATURN and the bulk carrier TAIYO.

1

Article A helpful "Dangerous Ladders Tool: The app “NO RUMO CERTO” from Brazil

by Porthos Lima, Brazil - published on 17 January 2020

My name is Porthos Lima and I am the Technical Director of Brazilian Pilots Association. I have been working as a Pilot for 20 years. I am here today to introduce you to our App "No Rumo Certo". The App was inspired in 2017 IMPA SAFETY CAMPAIGN.

1

Article An Analysis of Pilotage Marine Accidents in Korea (2019)

published on 18 August 2020

Since the late 2000s, a debate has been sparked on the most suitable age of retirement for Korean pilots. The debate has focused on the extension of retirement age of pilots from 65 to 68 and whether this will affect the probability of marine accidents.

0

Article IHO Nautical Information Provision Work Group endorses Guide for Nautical Data 2.1

by IHMA - International Harbour Masters Association Secretary IHMA - published on 30 January 2025

During a meeting on 4 December 2024, the International Hydrographic Organization Nautical
Information Provision Work Group (IHO NIPWG) held a vote on the new Guide for Nautical
Data 2.1. The guide was unanimously endorsed.

0

Video Hamburg Pilot Boats: "Lotse 1" and "Lotse 2"

published on 6 January 2025

Flotte Hamburg Pilot. Lotse 1/Lotse 2 (MMSI 211281010) Pilot Vessel. Tonnage 93. L. 23.2. W. 6.12. Built 1995. Heinrich Grube Schiffswerft. Flag Germany.

0

Video Fremantle Harbour Pilotage. Follow a Marine Pilot aboard a Containership.

published on 24 March 2021

Look at Pilotage: Containership under Pilotage into Fremantle Harbour, Western Australia.

0

Video Hvide Sande Rescue Team as Pilot Boat

published on 7 May 2021

Hvide Sande Redningsbåd på Nordsøen for at sætte Lods ombord på en Coaster

0

Article Pilot fell overboard during a storm off the coast of Borkum (Germany) and was rescued

published on 15 January 2023

The crew of a pilot boat rescued a 47-year-old colleague from the North Sea during a severe storm and darkness. The pilot fell overboard early on Sunday morning.

2

Video Nederlands Loodswezen: Instruction for Embarking & Debarking

published on 20 October 2021

Loodswezen Instructie Embarkeren Debarkeren.
Unfortunately only in Dutch without subtitles.

1