HaiSea’s LNG-fueled and electric tugboat fleet is now complete

The second LNG-powered tugboat, HaiSea Warrior, has been delivered to Canada’s HaiSea Marine, a joint venture majority owned by the Haisla Nation in partnership with Seaspan ULC, completing what is said to be the world’s greenest tugboat fleet.

The arrival of HaiSea Warrior in British Columbia wraps up the delivery of five low-emission harbor tugs built by Türkiye’s Sanmar Shipyards to support LNG carriers calling at LNG Canada’s new export facility in Kitimat.

Under the $500 million contract, HaiSea Marine will provide harbor and escort tugboat services to LNG Canada with three battery-powered tugboats, HaiSea Wamis, HaiSea Wee’git, and HaiSea Brave, as well as two LNG-powered tugboats, Haisea Kermode and HaiSea Warrior.

HaiSea Kermode and HaiSea Warrior are two RAstar 4000-DF LNG dual fuel escort tugs that will guide LNG carriers in and out from the soon-to-open LNG Canada terminal in Kitimat. They will do so along a 159 nautical mile route between the terminal and the pilot boarding station near Triple Island, which represents the longest escort route in the world.

The tugs measure 40 meters in length, delivering 105 tons of bollard pull, and generating indirect escort steering forces exceeding 175 tons.

HaiSea Brave, HaiSea Wee’git, and HaiSea Wamis are ElectRA 2800 battery electric tugs that will provide ship berthing and unberthing assistance to the LNG carriers in the immediate vicinity of the terminal.

What is more, the five tugs are the first to receive class society ABS’ ENVIRO+ notation, and HaiSea Wamis also recently became the first tug to receive an underwater radiated noise notation (ABS UWN).

Besides assisting LNG carriers calling at the export facility, the tugboats will also provide transportation of material and personnel, marine emergency response, firefighting, and oil pollution response.