Tugboats usually proceed from the builder’s yard to their new home on their own, but multiple orders and long distances are seeing a growing number transported by heavylift vessels. Such was the case earlier this year when the new all-electric tugs Saam Chief Dan George and Saam Volta, both completed in Turkey by the Sanmar Shipyard, were delivered to Vancouver, British Columbia by the 14,371dwt heavylifter BBC Emerald, which is equipped with two 400-ton cranes.
The 23.4m by 11.85m tugs, to be operated in Vancouver by SAAM Towage, were designed by Vancouver’s own Robert Allan Ltd and have a bollard pull of 70 tonnes. When operating at full capacity, both units will reduce CO2 emissions in the Canadian port by 2,600 tonnes annually. They are powered by two Li-ion battery banks, which will be charged while the boats are berthed, using clean energy supplied by the British Columbia power grid.
BBC Chartering’s BBC Emerald was contracted to deliver two Turkish-built all-electric tugboats to SAAM Towage in Vancouver, Canada.
ROBERT ETCHELL