SAAM christened Trapananda, reported to be the first electric tugboat in Latin America. Thanks to a strategic partnership with Enap, the electric tug will operate in one of the southernmost terminals in the world, Puerto Chacabuco, in the Aysén Region, supporting ship berthing and deberthing operations.
The tug measures 25 x 13m and brings 70 tons of bollard pull capacity, enabling it to assist large vessels in challenging harbor conditions. The craft is equipped with two, 2,100-kW electric azimuth thrusters and is powered by a 3,616-kWh capacity lithium-ion battery, distributed in two compartments. Its design, created by Robert Allan Ltd. and built by the Sanmar shipyard in Turkey, is optimized to reduce hull resistance while maximizing energy efficiency.
The batteries are remotely monitored by the manufacturer from Norway and have an estimated life of 10 years.
The tug was christened Trapananda in honor of the ancient name of Chilean Patagonia, a remote, untamed land covered with dense jungles that represented an unexplored and challenging territory for the first Spanish explorers.
"The arrival of the Trapananda marks a before and after for our industry. We are moving decidedly toward cleaner, more efficient and environmentally friendly operations,” said Macario Valdés, CEO, SAAM. “This project is a vision for the future: we are developing solutions that not only tow and assist ships, but also mobilizing a shift towards a truly sustainable logistics chain. On this path, we have found in Enap a partner with a shared vision.”
“This new tugboat, the result of a fruitful partnership with SAAM, demonstrates that when the public and private sectors work together decisively, they can advance on complex challenges like decarbonization. This step is a concrete sign that we can accelerate the energy transition through collaboration and action," added Gloria Maldonado, Chairwoman, Enap.
Video courtesy SAAM