First electric tug ready to start serving LNG Canada

HaiSea Marine’s first of three electric tugboats which will serve the Shell-led LNG Canada project is on its way to Canada.

Turkey’s Sanmar Shipyards recently delivered Haisea Wamis to the joint venture majority owned by the Haisla Nation and partner Seaspan ULC.

Seaspan ULC said in a social media post last week that HaiSea Wamis is officially en route to Vancouver.

Based on the ElectRA 2800SX, Haisea Wamis is the first electric tug to be exported from Turkey, the first electric tug in Canada, and the first electric tug based on a design by Canadian naval architects Robert Allan, according to Sanmar.

Measuring 28.40 meters in length, with a beam of 13 meters and depth of 5.60 meters, the ElectRA 2800SX electric harbor tugs have 6,000 kWh of battery storage system, and achieve 70 tonnes bollard pull, it said.

First electric tug ready to start serving LNG Canada
Image: Sanmar Shipyards

Also, with ample hydroelectric power available in Kitimat, the harbor tugs will be able to recharge from dedicated shore charging facilities at their berths between jobs.

Sanmar said that the new tug will shortly be joined by the ElectRA series tugs Haisea Wee’git and Haisea Brave as part of a deal for five tugs with HaiSea Marine, which also includes the LNG powered tugs Haisea Kermode and Haisea Warrior, Canada’s first LNG tugboats.

LNG Canada

Construction of the tug berth facility started in early 2023 and is scheduled to be fully completed in early 2024, according to LNG Canada.

LNG Canada says the new tug berth is essential to operation of the escort tugs and harbor tugs that will provide ship-assist and escort towing services to LNG carriers calling at LNG Canada’s export facility.

The first phase of the giant LNG Canada project includes building two liquefaction trains with a capacity of 14 mtpa in Kitimat.

The construction of the plant is more than 80 percent complete.

Shell and its partners in the project expect to deliver the first cargo by the middle of this decade, and they are also evaluating the second phase of the project.

Other partners include Malaysia’s Petronas, PetroChina, Japan’s Mitsubishi Corporation, and South Korea’s Kogas.

Most Popular

Atlantic LNG shipping rates, European prices down

Atlantic LNG freight shipping rates and European prices decreased this week compared to the week before.

Glenfarne becomes majority owner of Alaska LNG

US energy firm Glenfarne has signed definitive agreements with state-owned Alaska Gasline Development Corporation to become the majority owner of the giant Alaska LNG export project.

Petronas to supply LNG to PetroVietnam Gas

Malaysian energy giant Petronas will supply liquefied natural gas (LNG) to PetroVietnam Gas, a unit of state-owned PetroVietnam, next month. The two firms will also look into the possibility of signing long-term LNG contracts.

More News Like This

Cedar LNG gets $140 million boost from Canada

Canada’s Pembina Pipeline and the Haisla Nation have received up to C$200 million ($140 million) from the government of Canada for their $4 billion Cedar LNG project.

Shell’s LNG Canada set to receive LNG cargo as part of commissioning activities

Shell’s LNG Canada is set to receive a cargo of liquefied natural gas onboard the 173,400-cbm LNG carrier, Maran Gas Roxana, as part of the commissioning and start-up phase, a spokesman for LNG Canada told LNG Prime.

MOL, Seaspan wrap up Vancouver LNG bunkering op

Japan's shipping giant MOL has joined forces with Canada's Seaspan Energy to complete its first ship-to-ship LNG bunkering operation in Vancouver, Canada.

Shell’s LNG Canada moving forward with commissioning activities

Shell’s LNG Canada is moving forward with its commissioning and start-up phase and expects to receive a liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargo soon.