Denmark-based towage provider Svitzer has announced the order of a new battery-powered tug designed for near-zero emissions in the Øresund Strait, which lies between Sweden and Denmark. The tug, scheduled for delivery in the second half of 2025, will be built by Turkish shipyard Sanmar Shipyards.
The new azimuth stern drive (ASD) tug, designed by naval architect Robert Allan, will measure 25 meters in length, with a 5.6-meter draft and 70 tons of bollard pull. Equipped with a 1,818 kWh battery, it will operate entirely on electric power, offering an environmentally-friendly solution for towage services.
In addition to the battery, the tug will include two backup generators, extended endurance, and firefighting capabilities. Svitzer's Managing Director for Scandinavia, Mathias Jonasson, highlighted the increasing demand for green towage services in the region and emphasized their commitment to reducing CO2 emissions by 2030.
Sanmar Shipyards’ R&D Director, Tamer Geçkin, expressed pride in supporting Svitzer’s efforts to decarbonize their fleet, noting that the battery-powered tug represents the future of tug operations.
This order follows Svitzer’s previous green initiative with a contract for the world’s first battery electric methanol tug, signed in September 2024 with Uzmar Shipbuilding.
This tug, with a gross tonnage of around 806 tonnes and powered by a 6MWh battery, is expected to handle up to 25% of Svitzer’s operations in the Swedish Port of Gothenburg.