Kotug to set up new division to provide electric pusher tugs for inland waters
Rotterdam-based Kotug International BV has set up an Inland Shipping division to provide electric pusher tugs for operation on inland waters. The company will also use AI-driven dispatch and route planning software to support the transfer of cargo from road to water.
Kotug currently offers three tugs in the E-PusherTM Series, powered by swappable energy containers using fuels including Stage V diesel, gas, biogas, hydrogen and batteries.
The vessels range from a 5.5m-long design to a 22m-long unit, with depths varying between 0.45m and 1.35m. This results in draught reductions of about 30% compared with conventional pusher tug designs, the company said.
For the most effective operation, Kotug will use OptiPort – automated dispatching software based on historical and real-time information linking port and terminal information with vessel operations. The system is designed to optimise expected and just-in-time arrival and departure times, as well as routeing and speed control, thereby minimising energy use.
The company has recently established Kotug CityBarge BV in partnership with Circle Line Logistics BV. The new setup has commissioned a 5.5m-long E-Pusher tug in the municipality of Leiden to provide a zero-emission option to heavy truck transport in cities.
The aim is to improve inner-city environments by restoring existing waterways and using them for the transport of rubbish, construction materials, and retail products, Kotug said.
