Remember those tiny but mighty tugboats that guide massive ships safely through harbors? They just got an eco-friendly upgrade that proves green technology can pack some serious muscle, according to Electrek.
A new electric tugboat just set a world mark by pulling with a force of 78.2 tonnes (that's about 86 tons for Americans). Built by Damen Shipyards, this powerhouse named Bu Tinah is the first fully electric tugboat in the Middle East, showing that switching to clean energy doesn't mean sacrificing an ounce of strength.
This breakthrough tackles a challenge in the shipping industry: how to maintain powerful maritime operations while protecting our environment. The Bu Tinah delivers zero-pollution performance in ports and harbors, where traditional fuel leaks can damage marine ecosystems.
Even better? It can handle multiple towage operations on a single charge and takes just two hours to charge using a marine DC fast charger.
The journey to this point shows just how quickly green technology is advancing. In 2021, the most powerful electric tugboats could only pull about 50 tonnes. In just three years, that pulling power has jumped by nearly 50% without adding extra weight or bulk to the vessel.
This rapid progress hints at even more exciting developments on the horizon for clean maritime operations.
Maritime & Shipping Cluster Captain Ammar Mubarak Al Shaiba from AD Ports Group said, "This Guinness World Record achievement demonstrates that the transition to alternative energy does not come at the cost of performance.
"We are very proud that the first electric tug in the Middle East is also making waves on a global level with this accolade and the fact that in parallel it is improving the sustainability of our operations alongside cost efficiencies in terms of overall fuel saving is extremely important."
Beyond its strength, the tugboat is already proving its worth by making port operations cleaner and quieter while cutting fuel costs. As more ports adopt electric tugboats, we could see meaningful improvements in air quality and significant savings on fuel while protecting our coastal waters from potential fuel spills.
Want to see this clean powerhouse in action soon? The Bu Tinah is already hard at work at Khalifa Port.
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