First-Of-Its-Kind Battery-Powered Pusher Tug Announced In The Netherlands
EST-Floattech, a Dutch maker of energy storage solutions since 2009, announced April 22 that its containerized energy storage system was chosen by KOTUG International B.V., an international towage and maritime company, for its E-Pusher 1, an emission-free pusher that transports cargo on Europe’s inland waterways. In a press release, EST-Floattech said, “This design revolutionizes the way energy is stored and distributed in the maritime industry.” The E-Pusher 1 transports cocoa beans for Cargill from the Port of Amsterdam to Zaandam in the Netherlands.
EST-Floattech’s team has been working on the custom-built containerized solution with Octopus High Energy modules. The company started out as a “sparring partner” to define the amount of energy needed for the propulsion and auxiliary systems and progressed to designing the containerized solution.
The container, which has been delivered to Cargill, was designed and constructed in a little over half a year, thanks to the new production facilities for the Octopus Series. During those months EST-Floattech was in close cooperation with KOTUG, Padmos (builder of the E-Pusher commissioned by KOTUG), Sea and Shore and Gebhard Electro. The E-Pusher is scheduled to make about three weekly trips from Zaandam to Amsterdam and back, transporting cocoa beans to the Cargill facilities. When at the Cargill facilities in Zaandam the Octopus Series container will be charged three times per week with green energy. EST-Floattech’s engineers designed the battery solution inside the container based on the sailing profile of the E-Pusher, creating a container with a capacity of 2MWh.
Ard-Jan Kooren, CEO & president KOTUG, said, “With the world’s first fully electric pusher boat powered by EST-Floattech’s technology, we are setting a new standard for emission-free maritime transportation. This milestone underscores KOTUG’s dedication to driving positive change in the industry while delivering reliable and efficient solutions to our clients.”
Walter van der Pennen, Commercial Director at EST-Floattech said, “We are proud that we have been given the chance to create this containerized energy storage system for KOTUG and contribute to the world’s first emission-free and fully electric pusher tug. We want to thank all our partners for the seamless collaboration and making this truly groundbreaking project possible.”
EST-Floattech specializes in developing, producing, and installing reliable, sustainable, and safe battery systems for maritime applications. The in-house developed software is integrated to assure reliable operation of the Octopus Series battery system on board. The safety and reliability of EST-Floattech’s battery technology is demonstrated by the more than 200 projects with the Green Orca and Octopus Series, involving ships that have been sailing with their batteries for more than a decade.
KOTUG is a leading maritime family-owned company, offering its innovative towage and maritime related services on a global scale. The company’s expertise is divided across five pillars: Towage, Training & Consultancy, Intelligence, Subsea and Maritime Excellence. KOTUG is active in Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, Middle East, North and South America and the Caribbean and continues to expand its operations worldwide.
