Japanese companies Tokyo Kisen and Marindows have officially launched Japan’s first pure battery -powered all-electric harbour tugboat development project.
The electric harbour tugboat which will be operated in the ports of Yokohama and Kawasaki is aiming to contribute to zero GHG emissions from the ports, in accordance with Japan’s Carbon Neutral Port (CNP) policy.
In January 2023, Tokyo Kisen put into service Taiga, which was Japan’s first hybrid electric-powered tugboat equipped with a large-capacity 2,486 kWh battery. Building on two and a half years of operating experience with electric-powered tugs, this project advances to the next stage—enabling truly zero-emission (zero CO₂) operations—by developing and constructing a pure battery-powered tugboat. This is expected to be made possible through the combination of a large-capacity onboard battery system (6.66 MWh) and MW-class fast chargers.
Marindows will act as project coordinator in the Tokyo Kisen-led project, with technical support from e5 Lab. The vessel is planned to operate solely on onboard Li-ion batteries, and to achieve 53t maximum bollard pull with a free-running speed of 14 knots from two 1500kW propulsion motors. The project is expected to be completed by 2030, when the first tug will enter commercial service in the ports of Yokohama and Kawasaki.
Image: The proposed all-electric Japanese harbour tug (credit: Tokyo Kisen)
