Harbor Breeze Cruises, a tour operator based in Long Beach, California, has taken delivery of a new hybrid vessel that will provide harbour tours, whale watch cruises, and dinner events in and around the Los Angeles/Long Beach port complex.
Designed by Nic de Waal of New Zealand-based naval architecture firm Teknicraft Design, the 108-foot (32.9-metre) monohull vessel El Escudo [Spanish, literally "the shield", -ed] was built to exceed US EPA Tier IV and California Air Resources Board air quality requirements.
The vessel boasts a hybrid battery propulsion system fitted with a selective catalytic reduction system and a diesel particulate filter. The system features twin 250kW traction motors and a 588kW BorgWarner energy storage system, allowing for low-emission harbour tours.
The vessel features multiple passenger decks, a custom stadium-style seating platform on the bow, and a total capacity of up to 350 passengers, with enhancements throughout that prioritize comfort, visibility, and the overall guest experience. Studio Sculli provided the vessel's exterior and interior styling.
El Escudo is powered by twin MAN D2862 US EPA Tier IV diesel engines that drive fixed-pitch propellers through a remotely mounted Reintjes gearbox.
The vessel offers four distinct operational modes: conventional diesel propulsion, fully electric propulsion, underway battery charging, and stationary shoreside battery charging. The propulsion package allows the vessel to achieve significant emissions reductions while maintaining performance and efficiency for longer routes.
