New tug design paves the way for carbon-neutral fuels

Svitzer, Robert Allan Ltd, and Sanmar Shipyards have developed a new tug design that is more powerful in all directions, integrated into a smaller unit, and comes ahead of likely new fuels for the towage sector.

The TRAnsverse Tug is suitable for all types of harbour and terminal towage, the companies said, and will provide the basic design for the recently announced carbon-neutral methanol tug which is being developed jointly by Svitzer, Maersk, and Robert Allan.

Features of the new tug include omni-directional propulsion, steering forces over a full range of speeds and manoeuvres, and a unique towing arrangement, according to a statement from Svitzer. It will be equipped with the remote-control Svitzer Catcher for tow lines, and other automated operational equipment.

The tug company’s head of Technical Innovation, Thomas Bangslund, commented: “It is highly rewarding to see this multipurpose and very versatile tug become a reality. It started as a wish to improve efficiency in our operations and is now materialising as a powerful and cost-efficient tug with the potential to reduce both operational cost and CO₂ emissions, while improving the safety margins in operations.”

Speaking for Sanmar Shipyards, manager and vice president, Ali Gurun, said: “We are proud to be a part of this very specialised project in which we will be happy to incorporate our experience and know-how.”