The world’s first full-size electric ship-handling tug celebrated two years of successful operation at the Port of Auckland this month. Sparky appears to have done a great job so far in terms of heavy-duty performance and reduced emissions levels and continues to be in good shape – a positive sign for the maritime industry, proving that green solutions work.
Over the past two years, Sparky has been giving the Port of Auckland diesel counterpart, Hauraki, a run for its money. While it is just as strong as the Hauraki in terms of bollard pull (up to 70 metric tonnes), Sparky offers a range of additional benefits, including significant cost savings and dramatic cuts in emissions.
After two years of intense activity, Sparky’s results fully confirm the initial expectations in terms of sustainability. The most impressive result is having avoided more than 460 tons of CO2 emissions thanks to its battery-electric operation. The e-tug has assisted in the movement of more than 1,440 vessels, with literally half the operating costs of conventional diesel tugs. On the busiest working days, Sparky recharged its batteries several times a day and never shied away from handling the largest vessels in port.
New Zealand's pioneering electric tugboat was also a global pioneer as the first of its kind in the world. It is the first, but not the only one. eWolf is the American counterpart to Sparky, while Taiga is the Japanese one. These first-generation tugs that run entirely on electricity are slowly but surely changing the shipping industry.
eWolf, developed by US marine firm Crowley, has been billed as America's first electric tug. The 82-footer (25-meter) features the same 70-ton bollard drive as a conventional tug, but is equipped with an electric propulsion system consisting of two 2100 kW engines, a propeller and a 6.2 MWh main battery. In addition to preventing high levels of CO2, NOx and particulate matter, eWolf boasts advanced AI technology, including an “Intelligent Maneuver” function and 360-degree visibility.
Taiga was also introduced as the first of its kind in Japan and is operated by tug specialist Tokio Kisen. Built at the Kanagawa Dockyard in Kobe, Taiga featured a battery system and Power-and-Energy Management System supplied by ABB.
The Kiwi Sparky electric tug houses 2,240 on-board batteries and two 1850 kW electric motors. It is designed to be rapidly recharged in around two hours, keeping downtime as short as possible. Another advantage of fully electric tugs is that they are much quieter than their diesel counterparts, which helps reduce the overall noise level in ports. As a special feature, the Damen-built Sparky was also equipped with a dedicated fire extinguishing system.
Sparky will continue to operate sustainably over the coming years and is an important part of the Port of Auckland’s strategy to achieve net zero emissions operations by 2040.