VESSEL REVIEW | Trapananda – Saam's new electric tug takes on terminal support in Southern Chile

Chilean operator Saam Towage recently welcomed a new electric ship assist tug into service.

The new tug has been christened Trapananda after the ancient name of Chilean Patagonia. Its main area of operations will be in Southern Chile, particularly the waters around the Puerto Chacabuco oil terminal in the Aysén region.

The tug will support the activities of Chilean state-owned petroleum company Enap by providing berthing and unberthing assistance for ships.

The new tug has a length of 25.4 metres (83.3 feet), a beam of 12.86 metres (42.19 feet), a draught of 5.6 metres (18 feet), a bollard pull of 70 tons, a speed 12.5 knots, and space for seven crewmembers.

The propulsion setup consists of two 2,100kW electric azimuthing thrusters and a 3,616kWh lithium-ion battery pack distributed in two compartments.

Durable battery propulsion with remote monitoring feature

The batteries are remotely monitored by manufacturer Corvus Energy and have an estimated service life of 10 years, allowing for continuous operation on electric mode even with heavy duty use.

Battery propulsion was selected for its low noise, making it ideal for installation on vessels that operate near coastal communities in Chile.

Saam said the tug's design, which was developed by Canadian naval architecture firm Robert Allan Ltd (RAL), is optimised to reduce hull resistance while maximising energy efficiency.

RAL meanwhile expects the tug will be able to eliminate 1,700 tonnes of CO₂ per year, thus resulting in total annual savings in excess of 5,000 tonnes compared to modern diesel-powered alternatives.

For backup power, the tug will rely on the onboard diesel generators, which will otherwise primarily be used for firefighting and for extending operating endurance.

Part of a growing low-emission towage fleet in the Americas

Trapananda is the first electric tug to enter service in Latin America, according to both Saam and Enap. She is also the third electric tug to join Saam’s fleet following two earlier vessels that are currently operating out of the Port of Vancouver in Canada.

The acquisition of the electric tugs is in line with Saam’s goal of reducing up to 65 per cent of the greenhouse gas emissions that are generated by the operation of its fleet.