SAAM Towage strikes deal to operate Turkish-built electric tugs in Vancouver

SAAM Towage has agreed to operate two newbuilding zero-emissions 100% electric tugs in Vancouver, contributing to the greening of ports on North America’s West Coast.

The Chilean tug operator said it struck the deal with Canadian mining company Teck Resources and its part-owned Neptune Terminals to deploy the tugs, which will cut greenhouse gas emissions by 2,400 tonnes per year when they are operated to their full capacity.

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Santiago-headquartered SAAM said the ElectRA 2300SX tugs were designed by Vancouver naval architecture firm Robert Allan and will be built at Sanmar Shipyards in Turkey. With 23 metres of length overall, they have a bollard pull capacity of 70 tonnes.

The vessels, to be delivered in the second half of 2023, will each have two lithium-ion battery storage systems. They will be charged by the hydroelectric power grid in British Columbia province.

SAAM Towage managing director Hernan Gomez said the alliance with Teck and Neptune brings financial and technical viability to an effort to make operations more sustainable.

“This is how we want to continue projecting SAAM Towage’s leadership into the future in each of the 13 countries where we are present and the ones to come,” he said.

Neptune Terminals is owned by two bulk commodities shippers: potash exporter Canpotex and Teck’s coal subsidiary. It can move 23.5m tonnes of bulk products a year, which is to be expanded to 30m tonnes.

Driving sustainability

“With Teck and Neptune Terminals, SAAM Towage has found value-aligned partners who want to drive sustainable environmental changes through innovation,” said Sander Bikkers, president and country manager at SAAM Towage Canada.

“This partnership is based on a shared commitment to do our part to address the global challenge of climate change by reducing our carbon footprint. In addition to this, the tugs will significantly reduce the impact of underwater noise, which is another concern in British Columbia’s waterways.”