Hybrid tug joins Rotterdam fleet

The company’s Rotor Tug RT Adriaan was taken out of service in November 2011 to be retrofitted with the XeroPoint system. Kotug says that the work has been completed, and the tug is undergoing optimisation of its hybrid modes before being be officially relaunched as E-Kotug RT Adriaan in April/May 2012.

The company says that the conversion was inspired by the hybrid tug owned by Foss Maritime in California, for which the AKA Canada Xeropoint system was developed, resulting in an extremely environmentally friendly and fuel-saving tug. RT Adriaan, one of the fleet’s newest Rotor Tugs, uses the system to ensure that the electric and diesel engines, generators and environmentally-friendly batteries will be controlled.

“We are happy with the first results of the E-Kotug after its conversion into a hybrid Rotor Tug” said Daan Merkelbach – nautical and QHSE manager of Kotug International.

Kotug believes that hybrid option will prove the optimum propulsion solution for harbour tugs, which have a highly variable duty cycle.