Electric Tugboat Hums Into San Diego

You may think of tugboats as old-fashioned toys or characters in a kids’ book, but they’re big business and extremely powerful. There are over 6,000 tugboats operating in the U.S., and with an average of about 2,500 horsepower, they use a lot of fuel to push huge vessels around: These 6,000 boats produce about as many greenhouse gas emissions as 1.3 million cars.

But one new tugboat here at the Port of San Diego is not like the others. The eWolf is an electric tug, the first of its kind in the U.S., and one of only a handful in the world. Built by Master Boat Builders in Alabama, and owned and operated by Crowley of Jacksonville, Fla., the eWolf will reduce diesel fuel use at the Port by 35,000 gallons annually, eliminating over 300 tons of CO2 emissions. It’s also the most-powerful tug at the Port. While it cost roughly double an equivalent diesel-powered vessel (about $13 million in grants defrayed the cost), Crowley expects operating and maintenance costs to be substantially lower. 

The Port is moving full steam ahead to reduce its emissions, partly as result of a 2020 California executive order that directed state agencies to transition off-road vehicles and equipment to 100 percent zero emissions by 2035. The Port has installed first-in-the-nation electric cranes, as well as electric forklifts, and emissions-reducing shore power for cruise ships.

For their part, Crowley has pledged to be net-zero in greenhouse gasses from operations by 2050, and is involved in wind power, carbon capture, and electric vehicle projects. The eWolf will begin operations in April.