Kotug Canada’s new methanol-fueled duo will feature Schottel hybrid drives

Image: Kotug

The two dual-fuel methanol escort tugs on order for Kotug Canada at Sanmar Shipyards in Turkey will be fitted with Schottel rudderpropellers featuring the Sydrive-M mechanical hybrid solution.

Based on the Robert Allan Ltd. RASalvor 4400-DFM, the tugs – to be named SD Aisemaht and SD Qwiy Aanitsa Sarah – are currently in the final stages of construction at the shipyard. After their completion in third quarter 2025, they will service Canada’s Trans Mountain Expansion Project, escorting laden crude oil tankers from the outer harbor limits of the Port of Vancouver to the open Pacific Ocean through the commercial shipping lanes of the Salish Sea.

“We are pleased to move forward and implement these newbuild green solutions to the Trans Mountain Expansion Project enhanced tug escort program,” says Laurens Korporaal, business development manager at Kotug Canada. “These tugs, propelled by modern climate-friendly Schottel propulsion systems, exhibit the aspirations of the British Columbia tug market to improve environmental performance of shipping activity and advance new solutions to local and global environmental challenges.”

To provide the best performance for their tasks, the tugs require a propulsion system that offers both transit efficiency and high bollard pull. Each is equipped with two type SRP 710 RudderPropellers. The 360-degree steerable SRP combines bollard pull with high propulsion efficiency and provides the ships with excellent maneuvering capabilities. In addition, the tugs are also each fitted with a type STT 170 Schottel transverse thruster type With this propulsion system, the vessels will achieve a free sailing speed of up to 14 knots and an impressive bollard pull of over 120 tonnes, making them the most powerful escort tugs in Canada.

As the two Kotug Canada tugs will operate along the shores of the Salish Sea, they have to meet special environmental requirements. To further optimize fuel savings and reduce underwater radiated noise, all four of the Schottel azimuth thrusters feature the Sydrive-M mechanical hybrid solution. This allows the two thrusters of each vessel to be driven together by only one of the main engines. This reduces main engine operating hours, resulting in lower maintenance costs as well as less fuel consumption and lower emissions. Furthermore, the system needs no additional electrical components. In addition, the hulls of both tugs are coated with a graphene paint to minimize biofouling and enhance hull-smoothness of the vessels which, in addition to making the vessels more fuel efficient, reduces underwater radiated noise (URN).