The builder of world’s first hybrid tugboat, Foss Maritime Company is to add a second hybrid vessel to its fleet in order to reduce the pollution and improve the efficiency. The project is part of a partnership between The Port of Long Beach, the Port of Los Angeles and Foss.
The company’s first hybrid tugboat, called Carolyn Dorothy was launched in 2009 at the Port of Long Beach. The advantage of the newly-built boat is that it reduces nitrogen oxide, carbon and sulphur dioxide emissions. Apart from this, it’s less noisy than its predecessors and consumes less fuel.
Therefore, the company estimates that annual emissions will reduce with more than 1.7 tons of diesel particulate matter, approximately 53 tons of oxide nitrogen, more than 1,340 tons of carbon dioxide and 1.2 tons of reactive organic gases. Moreover, Foss also plans to save more than 100,000 gallons of diesel fuel per year.
The Hybrid technology, promising to reduce emissions, has also tempted other water craft businesses. In March, a tour boat was converted into hybrid, managing to cut emissions by 95 percent.
[Source: EnvironmentalLeader]
