Macduff Ship Design developed the tug design with shipbuilder Harland & Wolff, propulsion supplier Kongsberg Maritime and electrical system provider Enchandia. This vessel would generate no emissions when using the onboard battery systems for vessel handling and docking in ports.

This tugboat design was announced at Seawork 2023 exhibition after UK minister Nusrat Ghani opened the event.

Macduff Ship Design managing director Ian Ellis told Riviera Maritime Media the concept design is based on a requirement for a 25-m tugboat with a beam of 12 m and a depth of around 5 m. The vessel would be fully developed and built within the UK using national expertise and supply chains throughout the project.

Electric propulsion and clean-energy technology would feature including Echandia batteries and electrical control systems with a 25-year lifetime.

Energy storage would be similar to that used on Damen Shipyards-built Sparky, which is operating in Auckland, New Zealand. Kongsberg would be responsible for supplying the azimuth stern drive (ASD) propulsion and vessel control systems.

“The design would utilise innovative design combined with proven battery and propulsion technologies with the aim to deliver a zero-emissions vessel,” said Mr Ellis.

Battery power would be backed up by generators driven by HVO biofuel for exceptional operations or when shore charging is unavailable. The design includes an elliptical wheelhouse providing the master with a 360° view and a ship towing winch on the fore deck.

Detailed design and engineering is the next stage of the project before any decision for the newbuild is taken.

Source: Riviera by Martyn Wingrove