Latin America’s first battery-electric tugboat has arrived in Chile for its naming ceremony
SAAM Towage and energy group Empresa Nacional del Petróleo(Enap) have introduced the first electric-powered tugboat in Latin America as both companies seek to cut emissions from ship handling and docking.
Trapananda arrived in Puerto Montt, Chile, on heavy transport shipBBC Olympus I after its construction by Sanmar Shipyards in Turkey and was named at a ceremony on 10 July 2025.
Built to a Robert Allan Ltd ElectRA 2500SX design,Trapanandahas an overall length of 25 m, a beam of 13 m, a draught of around 6 m, a bollard pull of 70 tonnes and a speed of more than 12 knots.It features a Corvus Orca energy storage system of lithium-ion batteries with a total capacity of3,616 kWh and two 2,100-kW, electric azimuth thrusters. The batteries are remotely monitored by Corvus from Norway and have an estimated life of 10 years.
This battery-electric tug will sail to Puerto Chacabuco in the Aysen region, where it will support Chilean energy group Enap’s terminal operations.
At the terminal, it will be able to tow, manoeuvre and dock tankers with zero emissions and reduced underwater noise,thereby protecting marine life and contributing to decarbonising operations at the port.
