Tug of the Year Completes Maiden Voyage

[By: Robert Allan Ltd.]

Newly selected as Riviera Maritime’s International Tug & Salvage’s Tug of the Year for 2023, HaiSea Wamis made new waves on its delivery voyage and arrival in Canada. Recently delivered by Türkiye’s Sanmar Shipyards, HaiSea Wamis is the first in a series of three ElectRA 2800 battery electric tugs designed by Robert Allan Ltd. for Canada’s HaiSea Marine.

After crossing the Atlantic Ocean under its own power, HaiSea Wamis became the first battery electric tug to pass through the Panama Canal, after which it sailed north along the Pacific coast of North America. It is now stationed in Vancouver, where it will operate before relocating to its permanent home base in Kitimat, BC, Canada for service at the LNG Canada export facility.

Designed to operate on battery power alone during terminal operations, with charging from the local hydroelectric power grid, the delivery voyage using the tug’s backup generators demonstrates the versatility and redundancy of power systems that gave HaiSea Marine such high confidence in selecting this series of battery electric tugs for their new operation in such a remote location.

Once in operation in Kitimat, the large installed battery capacity of 5288 kWh will provide ample energy storage to perform regular operations on battery power alone, saving approximately 1700 tonnes of CO2 per year compared to conventional diesel equivalent tugboats. Soon to be joined by its sisters HaiSea Wee’git and HaiSea Brave, this fleet of battery electric tugs will combine to save over 5,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year, or roughly the equivalent of 1000 cars.

These emission reductions were only part of the case that led to HaiSea Wamis being awarded Tug of the Year. Not only is it the first tug to receive the American Bureau of Shipping’s (ABS) ENVIRO+ notation for exceptional environmental performance and design, it will soon undergo sea trials in British Columbia waters to confirm its ultra-low underwater noise signature and receive ABS’ UWN notation, also a first.

A high standard of construction, realized by Sanmar in collaboration with Prism Marine (HaiSea’s on-site construction supervision team) is apparent to all who have had an opportunity to view the vessel. Accommodation is very comfortable for the crews fortunate to work on this vessel, as the tug was also designed in accordance with ABS’ HAB(WB) habitability notation. Noise and vibration aboard are also low by virtue of the tug’s design, construction, and battery electric propulsion system.

With such impressive credentials, 2023’s Tug of the Year represents the state-of-the-art in battery electric tug design and construction and is set to serve as both an inspiration and example of what is possible in the drive towards decarbonization of harbour towage operations worldwide.

Key particulars

• Length, overall (excluding fenders): 28.40 metres
• Beam, moulded: 13.00 metres
• Depth, least moulded: 5.60 metres
• Maximum draft (navigational): 5.90 metres
• Gross Tonnage: 472 tons

Capacities

• Battery capacity (installed): 5288 kWh
• Battery capacity (maximum): 6102 kWh
• Complement: 4x single cabins with ensuites, 2 off with Pullman bunks for maximum complement of 6x persons

Class Notation

• ABS ?A1, Towing Vessel, ?AMS, ?ABCU, BP(67.85t), ESS-LiBattery, FFV1, UWILD, NBLES, HAB(WB), ENVIRO+, IHM, UWN (x)

Major Machinery

• Corvus Orca energy storage and battery management systems
• DMT electric deck machinery package featuring:
  • HW-010-E70kN ship-handling hawser winch with water-cooled air-applied slip brake
  • AW-100-E-19c anchor winch
• 2 x Schottel SCD 460 Combi Drives with 2100 kW electric motors, 2.6m diameter fixed pitch propellers in SDV45XPA high efficiency nozzles
• 2 x CAT C32 gensets, 940 ekW each, IMO Tier III
• Elkon E-drive system with 1000VDC multi-drive switchboards with power management system
• FFS off-ship fire-fighting system to FFV1 standard with waterspray, 2x monitors with 2,400 m3/hr total output, from electrically driven dedicated Fi-Fi pump
• Palfinger PK 18500 deck crane, 975 kg SWL at 10.3 metre outreach

Performance

• Bollard pull (ahead): 68 tonnes
• Bollard pull (astern): 65 tonnes
• Speed: 12 knots