Port of San Diego orders construction of its first 100% electric tug

The Port of San Diego has commissioned Crowley Maritime Corporation to deliver the port’s first all-electric tugboat called eWolf.

Crowley Maritime will operate the eWolf as part of its tug services to the port.  As the first fully electric port tug, eWolf will be the first-of-its-kind to accomplish its tasks without expending a drop of fuel.

The eWolf will derive its power from a 6 megawatt-hour battery bank that will be recharged at a special station onshore instead of consuming 30,000 gallons of diesel yearly. As a result, it will eliminate 178 tons of nitrogen oxide, 2.5 tons of diesel particulate matter and 3,100 metric tons of carbon dioxide during its first 10 years of operation. The 82-foot (almost 25-metre) vessel is expected be in service by mid-2023. The new tug will feature an integrated electric propulsion system and advanced vessel control technology package from ABB (a Green Marine partner).

The electric tugboat is being made possible thanks to the investment of several partners including Crowley, the San Diego County Air Pollution Control District, the California Air Resources Board, the Port of San Diego, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the U.S. Maritime Administration, all of which provided financial support and other resources.