SAAM and Chile’s state-owned company, Empresa Nacional del Petróleo (Enap), have launched Latin America’s first electric tugboat at the Sanmar shipyard in Tuzla Bay, Turkey.
The vessel is expected to arrive in Chile in accordance with the service agreement signed by Enap and SAAM in January of this year.
This development reportedly reinforces both industries’ commitment to the energy transition since the tug’s electric propulsion structure emits no greenhouse emissions while reducing environmental and undersea noise.
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After this first launch stage, the next step is the sea trials to inspect and verify its static behaviour and operating performance.
The electric tug will arrive in the country within the first half of 2025. The vessel was designed by Robert Allan Ltd and built at the Sanmar shipyard. It will provide berthing and unberthing services at Puerto Chacabuco, Aysén Region.
The tug is 25 metres long and 13 metres wide (beam), with a maximum bollard pull of nearly 70 metric tonnes.
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SAAM Towage’s Sustainability and Development Manager, Pablo Cáceres, said“This vessel is the third in our electric fleet, which marks a decisive step into the future with increasingly sustainable operations.
“At Chacabuco we will be reducing CO2 emissions by 100 per cent compared to current operations.”
The tug will be engaged in sea trials until just before setting out for Chile.
