Electric Tug, eWolf: Electric Twist in Harbor Assistance!
Are you ready to steer through the electrifying waves of innovation? It’s a big one today, because today we're talking about the eWolf, the first electric ship-assist tugboat to grace the shores of the good ol' US of A.
Back in 2021, Crowley, those maritime mavericks, decided to dip their toes into the electrifying world of ship-assist tugs. Fast forward to today, and the eWolf is here to rock the boat, quite literally, at the Port of San Diego. Designed by Crowley's own engineers and lovingly crafted by Master Boat Builders, this electric marvel is set to make waves in the harbor.
The eWolf measures a whopping 82 feet (that's approximately 25 meters for our metric friends) in length and has a beam of 40 feet (about 12 meters). It's got all the bells and whistles you'd expect from a tugboat, including bow and stern electric winches. This boat is not your average bathtime toy - it's packing a punch with a bollard pull strength of 70 tons. That's like having a Hercules in boat form!
The eWolf boasts a 6.2-MWh - yes, MEGA WATT - modular battery system that's ready to juice up its ABB propulsion system. With two 2,100-kW motors, this tugboat can hit a top speed of 12 knots (that's about 22 kilometers per hour for the metric crowd). And just in case it needs a little extra oomph, it's got two small diesel generators tucked away for emergencies or those long journeys where the battery alone won't cut it.
But what sets the eWolf apart from the rest of the harbor's heavy lifters is its eco-friendly edge. This electric wonder is set to be a champion of the environment, saving a whopping 178 tons of NOx, 2.5 tons of diesel particulates, and a staggering 3,100 metric tons of CO2 in its first decade of operation compared to those old-school diesel tugs. Mother Earth is giving it a standing ovation, I tell you!
When I read the specifications first, I started scratching my head - how this mighty vessel gets its fill of electrons? After all, 6 MWh of electricity can’t be pulled from the wall socket. Fear not, dear readers, because Crowley has a plan. The eWolf is set to plug into a shoreside microgrid charging and storage station, turning it into a floating eco-warrior while it waits for its next ship-assist mission. It's like the Tesla of the seas, but without Elon's tweets.
James Fowler, the Senior Vice President and General Manager at Crowley Shipping, is understandably stoked about this electrifying achievement. "The eWolf will provide services through its advanced vessel control technology and first-in-class energy features, while providing the safety, quality, and reliability that Crowley and our mariners are known for," he says. It's safe to say that Mr. Fowler is charging up the excitement meter.
In a world where ships are often associated with pollution and environmental harm, the eWolf is a breath of fresh sea air. Literally. It's like the harbor's very own superhero, donning a cape made of clean energy. So, as we eagerly await the eWolf's debut at the Port of San Diego, let's raise a toast (or a sea-salted caramel latte, if that's your fancy) to a greener, cleaner maritime future.
