Page 32: of Marine News Magazine (April 2024)

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Feature

Electric Tugs

All images courtesy Eric Haun

On Board the eWolf:

F - V B ULL ELECTRIC ESSEL RINGS

EW ECHNOLOGY TO THE

N T U.S.

By Eric Haun rowley Maritime Corporation has owned and ing options to reduce their emissions. A growing num- operated a lot of vessels since its founding in ber of hybrid- and full-electric ferries and tugs have been 1892. But the latest vessel to join its ? eet is un- sprouting up across the globe.

Clike any other that has come before it. “When we started this journey, the concept of an electric

Crowley’s new harbor tug, eWolf, is unique in that it tug was just starting to kick off,” said Paul Manzi, vice runs 100% powered by batteries, not diesel engines, mean- president of ship assist and escort at Crowley. “There was ing it produces zero emissions and nearly no noise. Not some work going on in New Zealand and in Europe, and only is the vessel the ? rst fully electric tug in the Crowley we began to think it was possible to do it here as well.” ? eet, but it is also the ? rst of its kind in the United States. So, Crowley set out to produce an electric tug of its own,

Faced with stricter regulations and commercial pressure and in 2021—the same year the company announced its to prioritize environmental, social and governance (ESG) commitment to reach net-zero emissions by 2050—its objectives, vessel owners and operators have been explor- engineering services division unveiled the groundbreak- 32 | MN April 2024