Asia/Pacific News
E-tug Makes Sense Over Longterm, says Port Boss
Tuesday August 6, 2019
An electric-powered tug is to be put to work in the port of Auckland, New Zealand.
The Netherlands-built vessel is able to do three to four hours of work on a full charge, according to a report by technology news provider the Engineer.
The cost of ship is considerably more than a diesel-powered tug but its operating costs are lower.
Ports of Auckland chief executive Tony Gibson was quoted as saying that "the cost of operating an electric tug is less than a third of the cost of running a diesel tug".
Electric power for shipping is attractive from an emissions point-of-view and is developing in niche sectors such as ferries. However, operational and technical restrictions mean that its impact is yet to be felt by ocean-going vessels.
