Four parties will come together to create a UK consortium with a common vision to develop and build a zero emissions harbour and coastal tug.
Heads of Terms have been agreed with Harland & Wolff as project lead and builders, Macduff Ship Design as designers, Kongsberg for propulsion and vessel control systems and Echandia as battery and electrical control systems specialists with the goal of bringing the very best technologies and skills required to deliver thepioneering green design.
The envisaged tug will be 25.5m long, have a breadth of 12m, and a draught of 4.85m along with an impressive bollard pull for its size at 50 tonnes. The proposed tug is expected to have Azimuth stern drives and a series of modular battery banks.
The consortium will utilise innovative design combined with proven battery and propulsion technologies with the aim to deliver a zero-emissions vessel that will utilise electric propulsion from stored battery power for day-to-day operations, backed up by generators driven by biofuel for exceptional operations or when shore charging support is unavailable.
The consortium believes there is a significant number of such vessels of smaller and larger designs and capabilities that will be required in the coming decade. Additionally, the technologies deployed are scalable to enter into the CTV and SOV markets in due course.
John Wood, Group Chief Executive Officer, Harland & Wolff commented, “As part of our ongoing commitment to fully embrace the UK National Shipbuilding Office’s aims and in our drive to Net Zero, we are pleased to have put together this consortium. Not only are these the first vessels of this type to be designed and constructed in the UK, but they also provide firm foundations for the build of various vessels requiring this type of technology in the future. We are delighted by the initial feedback that we have received from potential clients and look forward to seeing these vessels come to life in our shipyards.”
Minister Ghani, Minister of State at His Majesty's Government's Department for Business and Trade was able to see the outline for the proposed design firsthand on the Harland & Wolff stand during her visit to Seawork 2023.
