Port Of Auckland's Electric Tug Sparky Celebrates Two Year Anniversary

Sparky, the world’s first full sized electric ship handling tug, has marked her second year in operation at Port of Auckland.

But there was no birthday leave for Sparky as she has been busy since arriving at the port two years ago. To date, she has assisted 1,441 ships and her tug utilisation rate and working hours are trending upwards.

The cost of operating Sparky is less than a half of the cost of running a diesel tug and has prevented 465 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually via diesel exhaust.

Port of Auckland marine engineer, Rob Willighagen, says Sparky has been a great addition to the tugboat fleet.

“Sparky is capable of assisting the largest vessels that call into the port and on a busy day of shipping at the port, her batteries are fast-charged several times during the day,” says Rob.

“Being an electric tug means she is a lot quieter on the water. This can take some time to get used to for a new tug skipper as the electric power to the propulsion motors comes on silently with no sound or vibration feedback you get with diesel engines.”

General Manager Marine and Multi-Cargo Allan D’Souza says he has been impressed with Sparky. “It is truly heartening to see Sparky performing to her specifications, even two years after being put into service,” he says.

“All the hard work, countless late-night discussions, and hopeful anticipation have culminated in a product that I am proud to be associated with. Sparky is performing exceptionally well, and we have successfully demonstrated to ports worldwide that there is a sustainable tug option available for adoption.”

Sparky took six years of collaboration between the shipbuilding group, Damen, and the port.

“Our relationship with Damen has been highly professional and exemplary, as anticipated,” says Allan. “Minor issues were swiftly addressed, and we are very satisfied with the after-sales service and support provided. The meticulous work and time invested in the initial stages of the project have resulted in a remarkable product – it has been well worth the effort. Port of Auckland has set a benchmark for the rest of the world to follow.”

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