Kuok Maritime launches fully electric tugboat

Singapore-based maritime company Kuok Maritime has introduced a fully electric tugboat in Singapore.

IMAGE: Kuok Maritime’s fully electric tugboat. Kuok Maritime

A tugboat is a boat used to tow or push larger vessels in harbours, rivers, or canals.

Although the immediate impact that this small-scale electric vessel will have on global greenhouse gas emissions might be limited, the vessel holds significance as it provides crucial technical and operational insights that can inform the development of larger-scale electric vessels in the future.

The vessel will be powered by a 3 megawatt-hour (MWh) lithium-titanium-oxide (LTO) battery system. It is also designed to accommodate future integration of green methanol and ammonia once these fuels become commercially viable.

It is scheduled to begin operations in Singapore in the first quarter of 2026. This initiative aligns with the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore's (MPA) mandate that all new harbour craft operating in its waters must be fully electric, capable of using B100 biofuel, or compatible with net-zero fuels by 2030.

However, the company has not disclosed additional details about the tugboat, including the name of its manufacturer.

By Tuhin Roy

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