A battery-methanol harbour tug built by Uzmar shipyard in Türkiye has completed sea trials and is set for delivery to the Port of Gothenburg in Sweden, according to marine battery manufacturer AYK Energy.

AYK described Svitzer Balder as the “most powerful electric escort tug in the world,” capable of operating in near-open ocean as well as in harbour. The vessel is expected to perform more than 90% of its towing and docking operations in zero-emission mode using its battery-electric powertrain.

AYK supplied the tug with an ABS-certified AriesA 6-MWh battery system with a lifespan of around 10 years, and its team helped manage the vessel’s sea trials. The project is the fifth Svitzer tug for which AYK has provided battery systems.

Chris Kruger, founder of AYK Energy, said: “I would like to thank Uzmar and Svitzer for trusting AYK to build and deliver this battery system. AYK is proving that battery technology is evolving and becoming more powerful, more advanced and more competitive. At a time of volatile oil prices battery power is offering an increasingly attractive safe harbour to vessel operators.”

Kruger noted that one factor improving battery economics is the use of lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) cells instead of nickel, manganese and cobalt (NMC) cell technology. AYK states it was the first manufacturer to secure type approval for a marine battery using LFP.

“This project again shows that LFP can provide the energy density and horsepower the industry demands for significantly less cost and it is much safer than the more combustible NMC chemistry,” he remarked.

Svitzer Balder is based on Svitzer’s proprietary TRAnsverse tug design, with the battery supported by dual-fuel methanol engines for back-up and range extension.

Svitzer announced in September 2024 that the tug had been ordered from Uzmar for deployment in Gothenburg. At the time, the towage operator stated that the vessel would be the world’s first battery-electric tug supported by dual-fuel methanol engines.