SAAM Towage has reported that Latin America’s first electric tugboat began its voyage from Tuzla (Turkey) to Puerto Montt (Chile), a journey that will last around 45 days.
From there, the vessel will sail to Puerto Chacabuco (Aysén Region) to begin a dry run period.
After completing its last sea trials, the tug embarked on the vessel BBC Olympus, specially designed to transport, as it is equipped with two high-capacity cranes.
The tug will provide berthing and unberthing services. Measuring 25 metres long and 13 metres wide (beam), it boasts a maximum bollard pull of over 70 metric tonnes. Due to its lithium-ion batteries, it is 100 per cent electric and zero-emission, as it will be powered by renewable energy.
“Our electric tug is getting closer every day. This is the third such unit in our fleet and the first for Latin America,” remarked SAAM Towage’s Sustainability and Development Manager, Pablo Cáceres.
“It is particularly symbolic because it is a step forward in our strategy for the future: we want to grow in partnership with our customers with increasingly sustainable operations.”
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Enap’s Corporate Supply Chain Manager, Mauricio Naveas, highlighted how the vessel fits into the state-owned company’s development strategy: “This tugboat is one of the paths we are following to help protect the environment and decarbonise the country, in addition to incorporating LNG trucks, producing our first batch of diesel from used cooking oil and developing infrastructure for green hydrogen in Magallanes.”
