The nation's first all-electric tug boat has docked at the Port of San Diego and expects to begin emissions-free operations in about a month. Operated by Crowley Maritime Corporation, the 82-foot eWolf will escort ships entering and leaving the Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal using electric power instead of diesel fuel, helping slash greenhouse gas emissions at the port and its neighbors in Barrio Logan and National City.
'This is a big deal,' said port chairman Frank Urtasun at a news conference Monday. 'This is new technology.' Capable of speeds of up to 12 knots, the eWolf is powered by a 6.2 megawatt-hour main propulsion battery and two electric drives. The tug has thrust — also known as bollard pull in the parlance of the shipping industry — of 76.8 short tons, which is more powerful than the diesel-powered counterparts at the port. Constructed in Alabama, the eWolf is equipped with two small generators for emergency use that allow the boat to travel longer distances at a reduced spee