EverWind orders low-emission tugboats from Damen to support green fuels hub

EverWind Fuels, a North American developer of a green fuels hub, has revealed plans to invest around $50 million in three new lower-emission tugboats to be launched in the Strait of Canso, enhancing sustainability, improving infrastructure, and supporting green shipping corridors in Nova Scotia.

EverWind Fuels described the project as “one of the largest private sector investments in the Strait of Canso in the last 50 years”.

The new fleet of vessels will be built by Dutch defence, shipbuilding, and engineering conglomerate Damen, consisting of a Damen ASD 3212 tug and two Damen RSD 2513 tugs. The vessels will measure 32 meters and 25 meters in length, with 80 tonnes and 65 tonnes of bollard pull.

As understood, the newbuilds will be owned locally and replace EverWind’s contracted fleet of three tugboats which were built between 1992 and 2004, aligning with Canada’s clean energy transition.

Purpose-built and designed for local use, the new tugboats are expected to arrive in the summer of 2025 and will be fully compliant with International Maritime Organization (IMO) Tier III emissions standards, according to EverWind.

The company estimates that greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the new vessels will be significantly lower than the current fleet, delivering reduction of approximately 80% in nitrogen oxides (NOx) and 25% in CO2. It was also noted that EverWind is working with its maritime partners on a long-term plan to further transition its tugboats toward zero carbon emissions as the company’s renewable power generation and ammonia production projects come online.

Once delivered, the tugboats will be required to facilitate specialized operations associated with the transportation of green hydrogen and ammonia produced at Point Tupper and support existing industries operating in the Strait of Canso, serving as a valuable asset in the local marine sector.

Trent Vichie, Founder and CEO of EverWind, said: “This investment is a critical step in enabling large-scale green hydrogen and ammonia production with our international partners. By integrating new advanced tugboats into our operations following the strictest IMO emissions standards we’re ensuring safe, efficient, and sustainable maritime logistics that support the international transition to clean energy. EverWind is proud to lead the charge in building the infrastructure needed to position Nova Scotia as a key global hub for green hydrogen and ammonia exports.”

To remind, EverWind is working on a green hydrogen and ammonia project in Point Tupper as part of its larger initiative to develop an Atlantic Canadian green fuels hub.

The Point Tupper project is said to be the first to have received environmental assessment approval in North America and complete the front-end engineering design (FEED) phase.

The project will use PEM electrolyzers and ammonia synthesis technology from Casale S.A. to convert water from man-made Landrie Lake and energy primarily from newly-built wind farms, which are expected to be operational by the end of 2026, into green hydrogen and green ammonia.

The first phase is designed to produce approximately 240,000 tonnes per annum of green ammonia starting in 2025, then achieve the full 1 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) volume by 2026.