Marine battery manufacturer AYK Energy says electrification in the workboat sector is accelerating, following the completion of sea trials for what it describes as the first battery-methanol harbour tug.
The tug, Svitzer Balder, was built by Uzmar Shipyard in Türkiye for towage operator Svitzer and is set to be deployed at the Port of Gothenburg, Sweden. According to AYK, the tug is the most powerful electric escort vessel of its type, capable of operating both in harbour and near open-sea conditions.
The vessel will carry out more than 90% of towing and docking operations using a battery-electric powertrain, with dual-fuel methanol engines providing back-up and range extension. The project represents the fifth tug supplied by AYK to Svitzer.
AYK provided an ABS-certified AriesA 6MWh battery system for the vessel and supported sea trials. The system is designed for a service life of around 10 years.
A tug more immune to oil price volatility
AYK founder Chris Kruger 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 added that lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) chemistry is central to improving the economics of marine battery systems, offering a lower-cost alternative to nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) cells while maintaining safety and performance.
“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 said.
AYK said it was the first manufacturer to secure type approval for a marine battery system using LFP cells, and has positioned the chemistry as a key enabler for wider maritime electrification.
The company is reporting growing demand across multiple vessel classes, including ferries, cruise ships, polar vessels, superyachts, fishing vessels and container ships.
The battery system for the tug Svitzer Balder was manufactured at AYK’s automated facility in Zhuhai, China. Opened in 2023, the 5,000m² plant has an annual production capacity of 300MWh, with scope to expand to 1GWh as demand increases.
Photo: Svitzer Balder (left) with a detail of its battery room (right)
Credit: Svitzer/AYK
