Canadian firm to design electric tug for China's Tianjin Port

Canadian naval architecture firm Robert Allan Ltd (RAL) has been awarded a contract to design a new electric harbour tug for operation by the Port of Tianjin in northern China.

The tug will be constructed locally by Jiangsu Zhenjiang Shipyard. RAL said the tug will built upon on a conventional propulsion design for the same owner and constructed at the same yard, with two vessels of similar hull form in service, but with a "greener" propulsion system.

The tug will draw all its power from batteries, with no generator sets on board, making it a fully battery electric, ship handling vessel.

RAL said the tug will also be the company's first battery electric vessel operating in China.

Upon completion, the tug will have an LOA of 35.8 metres, a moulded beam of 11.2 metres, a moulded depth of 5.2 metres, and accommodation for up to seven crewmembers. A CATL 7MWh battery pack will deliver a bollard pull of 62 tonnes.