A Chinese shipyard has built the world’s first tug with batteries and hydrogen fuel cells for one of the nation’s busiest ports

Qingdao Port in Shandong province has taken delivery of the world’s first high-power, hydrogen-electric hybrid tugboat for low-emissions transits and ship handling.

Qing Dian Tuo 1 was built by Jiangsu Zhenjiang Shipyard with hydrogen cells installed, in a historic leap for China’s marine sector.

This azimuth stern drive (ASD) tug has a hybrid propulsion system featuring a 7,838-kWh capacity, liquid-cooled lithium battery system, two 100-kW hydrogen fuel cells, a back-up generator to drive two azimuth thrusters and generate 82 tonnes of bollard pull, and a top speed through calm water of 14 knots.

The propulsion system enables the port operator to offer zero-emissions operations from this 39-m tugboat, with a projected annual reduction in CO2 emissions of 1,500 tonnes.

This ASD tug has a beam of 11 m, a depth of 5 m and a draught of 4 m. Its onboard batteries will be charged from a quayside facility in between towing work.

It features the industry’s first fully automatic, plug-and-play, shore-based charging device and is the first Chinese-built electric-propulsion vessel to be awarded AUT-0 notation from China Classification Society.

“Its successful commissioning holds a landmark significance for the construction of China’s smart and green ports,” said the shipyard.

Zhenjiang Shipyard started constructing several ASD tugs and a maintenance vessel at its Jiangsu province facilities in the past month.

On 10 June, the shipyard cut steel on an ASD tug with 4,710 kW of installed power for Taixing Port Group Terminal Operation and Management, and started building another ASD tugboat with 3,676 kW of power for Jiangsu Anhang Shipping Co, all for delivery in 2026.

It cut steel on two ASD tugboats, each with 4,420 kW of power, for Nantong Lusi Port Tugboat Co on 1 July. On the same day, it started constructing an 85-m maintenance workboat for an unnamed Singapore shipowner.