Svitzer books another battery-powered newbuild

Svitzer, a Danish towage operator, is expanding its fleet with another battery-powered newbuild. With almost 450 vessels, the Copenhagen-based group has hired the Turkish Sanmar Shipyard to construct the unit, which will be delivered in the second half of 2025. Designed by naval architect Robert Allan, the electric tug will have a bollard pull of 70 tons and be 25 meters long. The 1,818-kWh battery will allow the tug to run solely on electricity, with the assistance of two generators for backup, range extension, and firefighting purposes.

Svitzer stated it intends to use the new construction in the Øresund Strait between Denmark and Sweden. Svitzer operates at around 140 ports and 40 terminals in 37 countries. The business claimed the order for the first battery-methanol tug in history last September. This unit will be constructed in the Uzmar shipyard in Turkey, measure close to 35 meters in length, and weigh more than 85 tons. Supported by dual-fuel methanol engines and equipped with a 6MWh battery, the tug will do up to 25% of its job at the Swedish port of Gothenburg.