A sustainable and innovative maritime logistics company, Crowley has collaborated with the Port of San Diego to build a Shoreside Charging Station to provide clean energy. The company has already started the construction work on the project.
The shoreside charging station is designed to provide Crowley’s upcoming zero-emissions tugboat, eWolf.
The charging station is a microgrid charging facility equipped with two containerized energy storage systems provided by Corvus Energy, a leading supplier of reliable energy solutions in the marine sector. Each energy container will contain battery modules with a storage capacity of approximately 1.5 MWh for a total capacity of 2,990 kW.
Shoreside Station is designed to operate off-peak hours from the community’s energy grid. It includes a solar power array to support renewable energy use. The station will have a battery monitoring system, HVAC, firefighting, and detection technology.
Crowley’s eWolf will be an 82-foot fully electric and zero carbon emissions capable tugboat with a towing power of 70 tons. During its first ten years of use, the operation of the eWolf tugboat will reduce 178 tons of nitrogen oxide (NOx), 2.5 tons of diesel particulate matter, and 3,100 metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) than a traditional tugboat.
The eWolf will feature a fully integrated electrical package provided by ABB. With 360-degree visibility, it also features ABB’s artificial intelligence technology (AI) to enhance safety and efficiency for sailors and deliver durable performance with reliability.
The electric tugboat will be built under design and on-site construction management by the company’s naval architecture and marine engineering group, Crawley Engineering Services.
The eWolf tugboat will replace tugboats that use more than 30,000 gallons of diesel annually. Crowley’s tugboat will operate at the Port of San Diego’s Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal by mid-2023.
The eWolf, under construction, is designed to operate at its full potential while running entirely on electricity. The tugboat is essential to a shared commitment between Crowley and its federal and local partners to invest in and develop emissions-free technologies.
Crowley has collaborated with the San Diego County Air Pollution Control District, the California Air Resources Board, the Port of San Diego, the U.S. EPA, and the U.S. Maritime Administration to bring the shoreside solar charging station.
