Watercrafts

Sparky: An Electric Tugboat

Not The First One But Still A Green Choice

Sparky. “070622PV_POAL_SPARKY_016” from Ports of Auckland is free for media to use.

Sparky is a green, electric tugboat working for the Ports of Auckland, in Auckland, New Zealand. Built by Dutch manufacturer Damen, Sparky is the “world’s first full-sized ship-handling e-tug,” according to Ports of Auckland. Sparky has a 70-ton bollard pull, the towing force of a watercraft, matching the port’s strongest diesel tugboat. Although Sparky isn’t the first electric tugboat in the world, it is the first in Auckland, the first of its size and bollard pull.

A big step for Ports of Auckland toward its goal of becoming carbon-neutral by 2040, Sparky is expected to save around 512 tons (465 metric tons) of CO2 per year. Ports of Auckland manages New Zealand’s largest container and international trade terminal, according to Interesting Engineering, and attaining the goal of being carbon neutral will be a challenge for Ports of Auckland, as its port operations rely almost entirely on diesel engines, like the cranes loading and unloading goods, the tractors moving goods around, and the diesel tugboats, according to CleanTechnica.

Sparky is a Damen RSD-E Tug 2513, the first of its kind. Sparky has a speed of 12 knots. Sparky has a 6-meter (19.5 feet) draft and two azimuth thrusters with 3-meter (10-foot) diameter propellers. 80 battery racks are on board with a total of 2,784 kWh of power, with a recharge time of approximately 2 hours. Sparky can also operate with a crew of just 2 or 3! Sparky was named by a public poll in 2020. Sparky represents the future of a zero-emissions ship.

Ports of Auckland welcomed Sparky with excitement. Roger Gray, CEO of Ports of Auckland, says, “Welcoming Sparky is an exciting day for us at the port,” adding that “Sparky is the first e-tug of its type in the world and was a truly innovative project for us. Her arrival marks a big step towards the ports’ decarbonization of operations and towards our long-term emissions reduction goals.” Sparky’s arrival is a dream come true for Allan D’Souza, GM of Marine and Multi Cargo Operations at Ports of Auckland, leading the electric tugboat project. D’Souza says, “Back in 2016, when we first pitched the idea for a fully electric tug, we were told we were dreaming. To see Sparky in real life like this is that dream coming true.”

According to Interesting Engineering, in 2020, the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) conducted a study. It found that the global shipping industry’s emissions rose by 10% between 2012 and 2018, meaning that bold actions must be taken in ports, like Auckland, to reverse the harmful effects of emissions on the Earth.

Sparky’s just part of what’s being done to reverse the harmful effects of emissions from the Earth, but it is a game-changer in Ports of Auckland’s goal of being carbon-neutral by 2040. We all can do more to contribute to reversing these harmful effects from wreaking havoc on the Earth, by being aware and spreading awareness of the harmful emissions are doing to our planet.

https://www.damen.com/vessels/tugs/electric-tugs/rsd-tug-2513-electric

https://www.poal.co.nz/media-publications/Pages/Sparky-arrives-in-Auckland.aspx