ABS joined Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Ltd., Seatech Solutions International (Seatech) and Shift Clean Energy (Shift) in signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to develop electric tugboats, part of an initiative to achieve India’s goal of becoming the ‘Global Hub for Green Shipbuilding’ by 2030, according to ABS's release.
The proposed E-VOLT 50 tug aims to reduce carbon emissions, improve operational efficiency and set new benchmarks for performance and environmental sustainability in the tugboat industry.
GRSE will build the platform based on the design from Seatech, and Shift will provide energy storage solutions. ABS will provide technical review and advisory services along with guidance to navigate requirements related to regulatory standards for safety, reliability and compliance.
ABS has developed industry-leading guidance on alternative hybrid electrical technologies and understands that additional alternative energy options, particularly electrification, are needed to help the shipping industry achieve net zero by 2050. This year, the ABS Electrification Center was launched in Singapore to support maritime decarbonization projects globally.