In a region that holds the vast majority of the world’s hydrocarbon reserves, decarbonising shipping’s supply chains has remained a low priority. Until now.
Safeen Group, a maritime services subsidiary of AD Ports Group, has ordered the region’s first all-electric tug from Damen Shipyards. The Damen RSD-E Tug 2513 harbour tug, with a bollard pull of 70 tonnes, will operate in Khalifa Port, initially with generators.
The ship was built in Damen’s Vietnam yard and will be more energy-efficient than traditional Azimuthing Stern Drive (ASD) tugs, even during its initial use of generators to provide power. Damen said the vessel will be capable of two or more assignments before a two-hour battery recharge.
Damen Financial Services provided a lease and purchase agreement for the tug, the second of its design after New Zealand’s Sparky, and the first of a series of six ships built on speculation by Damen.
What is described as a ‘trial initiative’ is seen as a first step in what is likely to become a formalised electrification strategy across the marine services fleet, the company said. A key part of this will be the commissioning of a shore power facility at Khalifa Port, with capacity to provide 1.5MW of power for charging service craft. At that time, the tug will provide a fully electric service and more service vessels will be able to provide a climate-friendly operation.
Willem Moelker, Sales and Marketing Director at Albwardy Damen Sharjah, commented: “Electricity is a no-brainer for smaller craft operating in port or near port and, with battery technology improving almost daily on the back of the electric vehicle revolution, it will only get more attractive for certain craft.”
“The COP 28 conference last year was a turning point in terms of climate action in the UAE,” he declared. “With the government pushing net-zero targets and adopting a very ambitious climate agenda, we see increased interest in more sustainable shipping solutions, whether it is more environment-friendly fuels, biofuels, ammonia and methanol as fuel, or catalytic and NOx-reducing technology for existing tugs and smaller craft.”
AD Ports Group continues to expand its decarbonisation efforts with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with Orascom Construction to develop a green methanol storage and export facility in Egypt. Closer to home, the group launched The Maritime Sustainability Research Centre, Abu Dhabi (MSRCAD), a non-profit venture focused on joint industry-government applied and fundamental research to strengthen Abu Dhabi’s maritime sector.
Meanwhile, late in July, ADNOC Logistics and Services announced that its joint venture with China’s Wanhua Chemical Group has ordered nine very large ethane carriers (VLECs) for $1.4bn and two very large ammonia carriers for about $250m. The ships, among the largest of their types, will operate on dual-fuel engines in 20-year charters that will generate $4bn of revenue.
