Sanmar hands over 1st LNG-powered tug to HaiSea Marine

Turkish shipbuilder Sanmar Shipyards has delivered Canada’s first LNG dual-fuelled tugboat Haisea Kermode to HaiSea Marine, a joint venture majority owned by the Haisla Nation in partnership with Seaspan ULC.

Haisea Kermode can run on diesel or LNG, and features a diesel exhaust after-treatment system that complies with IMO Tier III emissions standards, the shipyard said.

The tugboat integrates Astar 4000 DF design from Vancouver-based naval architects Robert Allan Ltd, featuring the two Azimuth Stern Drive (ASD).

At 40.20 m in length, with a 16.00 m bean and maximum draft of 7.10 m, and with more than 100 tonnes of bollard pull, the tug, along with its sister Haisea Warrior, is set to generate indirect escort forces of approximately 200 tonnes.

According to Sanmar, the tug’s ability to perform long-distance escort missions solely using LNG is a major advance towards sustainability as it results in significant emissions reductions compared to conventional diesel tugs of the same power.

“That a tug this powerful comes with such impressive green credentials is a fine example of how technological advance and innovation can pave the way to a sustainable and environmentally-friendly future for our industry. We at Sanmar are proud to be at the forefront of these advances,” Ali Gurun, Chairman of Sanmar Shipyards, said.

The tug will provide harbor and escort services in the extremely environmentally sensitive region. Haisea Kermode is about to be joined by its sister tug Haisea Warrior.

Namely, Haise Kermode is part of a five-tug series, three electric and two LNG-powered, which are intended for LNG Canada’s new export facility in Kitimat, British Columbia. The three electric tugs have already been delivered to its owner.

LNG Canada is scheduled to export 18m tons of LNG annually from the first phase of the Kitimat project, an equivalent to $25 billion a year.

When completed, the Shell-led LNG Canada project will consist of a natural gas receiving and LNG production unit, a marine terminal with the capacity to accommodate two LNG carriers, a tugboat dock, and LNG loading lines. It will also include LNG processing units, storage tanks, a rail yard, a water treatment facility, and flare stacks.

Its production capacity is planned at 14 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) from the first two trains, with the potential to expand to four trains in the future. The first shipment of LNG is scheduled for mid-decade.