VESSEL REVIEW | Isla Barro Colorado – Hybrid electric tug to be operated in Panama Canal

The Panama Canal Authority (PCA) has taken delivery of the first hybrid electric tug in a new series of ten built at the Vigo facilities of Armon Shipyard in Spain.

The tug has been named Isla Barro Colorado after an island in the middle of the Panama Canal.

Hybrid arrangement for augmenting main engine power

The PCA said the tug, which measures 28.9 metres (94.8 feet) long and 14 metres (46 feet) wide – making her nearly similar in size to an earlier series of tugs also built by Armon for the canal authority – combines advanced technology with an innovative design. This ensures her suitability for executing complex manoeuvres daily at the Panama Canal.

A maximum draught of 6.2 metres (20 feet) will meanwhile allow the tug to easily operate alongside the larger, deep-draught ships that are cleared to pass through the canal.

Secondary firefighting capability

The tug’s hybrid electric setup includes a 445kW battery pack that can supply additional propulsive power. The PCA said the system can also help reduce local emissions to enable the canal to meet its environmental sustainability goals.

The tug is powered by two 2,331kW (3,126 hp) engines connected to Twin Disc MCD5000 drives and that deliver a bollard pull of 80 tons. It also boasts a Fifi1 firefighting system and an ergonomically laid out interior that provides optimal living and working conditions for the crew.

The acquisition of Isla Barro Colorado and her sisters will enable the PCA to reduce its reliance on charted tugs.