SAAM has christened the first electric tugboat in Latin America. Trapananda reportedly has zero direct CO2 emissions and can reduce underwater noise to protect marine life and contribute to the decarbonization of the port sector.
Through a partnership with Enap (Empresa Nacional del Petróleo), the electric tug will operate in one of the southernmost terminals in the world – Puerto Chacabuco, in the Aysén Region, supporting ship berthing and deberthing maneuvers.
Technical specs
The tug measures 25m in length and 13m in beam. It has 70 tons of bollard pull capacity, enabling it to assist large vessels in challenging harbor conditions. The craft is equipped with two, 2,100kW electric azimuth thrusters and is powered by a 3,616kWh capacity lithium-ion battery, distributed in two compartments.
Its design – created by Robert Allan Ltd. and built by the Sanmar shipyard in Turkey – is reportedly optimized to reduce hull resistance while maximizing energy efficiency. The batteries are remotely monitored from Norway by the manufacturer and have an estimated life of 10 years. The vessel underwent rigorous seaworthiness testing and will be operated by a highly specialized local team that was trained in Canada. 
Enap’s chairwoman, Gloria Maldonado, said, “At Enap we have a clear mandate: to ensure a reliable, efficient and quality energy supply for Chile. But today this mandate goes beyond compliance, it demands transformation. In our 80 years of history, we reaffirm our commitment to the country by innovating responsibly with a vision of the future. This new tugboat, the result of a fruitful partnership with SAAM, demonstrates that when the public and private sectors work together decisively, they can advance on complex challenges like decarbonization. This step is a concrete sign that we can accelerate the energy transition through collaboration and action.”
The name ‘Trapananda’
The tug was christened Trapananda in honor of the ancient name of Chilean Patagonia, a remote, untamed land covered with dense jungles that represented an unexplored and challenging territory for the first Spanish explorers. With this name, SAAM sought to pay tribute to the history, strength and beauty of southern Chile, where this vessel will begin operating.
Macario Valdés, CEO of SAAM, commented, “The arrival of the Trapananda marks a before and after for our industry. We are moving decidedly toward cleaner, more efficient and environmentally friendly operations. This project is a vision for the future: we are not only developing solutions that tow and assist ships but also mobilizing a shift toward a truly sustainable logistics chain. On this path, we have found in Enap a partner with a shared vision.”
In related news, the Sanmar-built ElectRA Series tug, named Trapananda, was recently loaded aboard a transport ship to be delivered to SAAM Towage’s operations serving ENAP in Puerto Montt, Chile. Read the full story here.