Crowley Christens the US' First Electric Tug eWolf
Crowley on Tuesday christened its new vessel, eWolf, the first all-electric ship assist tugboat in the United States.
Set to enter commercial service at the Port of San Diego this week, the 82-foot tug was built by Coden, Ala. shipbuilder Master Boat Builders and designed by Crowley’s engineering services team to operate on full electric power, producing zero carbon emissions and 70-ton bollard pull strength.
“The eWolf is a historic milestone in the maritime industry and Crowley’s legacy and underscores our company’s commitment to serve as global sustainability leaders and innovators,” said Crowley's chairman and CEO, Tom Crowley. “The all-electric tugboat is the most technologically advanced vessel of its kind, and eWolf will help our customers and communities reach their decarbonization goals while delivering capabilities that strengthen our vital supply chain.”
The first-of-its-kind vessel is equipped with an integrated electrical propulsion package provided by ABB, a 6.2 MWh Orca battery energy storage system from Corvus Energy, two 2,100 kW RAMME motors, and two electrically driven Schottel RudderPropellers type SRP 430 LE azimuthing thrusters, featuring propeller diameters of 2.5 meters. The vessel also has two small John Deere generators on board for emergency use and to enable long distance transits at reduced speeds.
The tug’s battery system will be charged at a specially designed shoreside station featuring two Corvus Orca BOBs (battery on board), the containerized version of the Corvus Orca ESS.
To bring the eWolf to life, Crowley partnered with the San Diego County Air Pollution Control District, the California Air Resources Board (CARB), the Port of San Diego, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD), which all provided financial support and other resources toward the project, which ultimately aims to improve air quality and enhance port technology.
Vessel owners and operators are increasingly considering hybrid and full electric vessels as part of efforts to reduce emissions.
Crowley said the eWolf replaces a conventional tug that consumes more than 30,000 gallons of diesel per year and is expected to eliminate emissions equivalent to 350,000 gallons of gasoline, according to EPA calculations, over the first 10 years of operation.
Crowley in 2021 announced its commitment to reach net-zero emissions across all scopes by 2050. The Jacksonville, Fla.-based company estimates it will reduce overall emissions by 4.2 million metric tons of greenhouse gases per year.