Crowley, Port of San Diego celebrate groundbreaking for all-electric tugboat charging station
Crowley and the Port of San Diego broke ground for the shoreside charging station designed to provide clean energy for the company’s forth-coming zero-emissions tugboat, eWolf. Joined by key partners and community stakeholders, the ceremony marked a significant step forward in the industry’s journey to decarbonization and reduce emissions in the San Diego community.
The charging station is a microgrid charging facility that will allow vessels to recharge quickly while reducing peak loads on the community energy grid. It is equipped with two containerized energy storage systems provided by Corvus Energy, a leading supplier of reliable energy solutions in the maritime sector. The station is designed to operate on off-peak hours from the community’s energy grid, and it includes a solar power array to support renewable energy use. The technology is also designed to support other electric equipment and vehicle operations, if needed.
Each energy container will house battery modules with storage capacity of almost 1.5 MWh, for a total capacity of 2,990 kW. The station will be equipped with battery monitoring system, HVAC and firefighting and detection technology.
The eWolf and its shoreside solar charging station are the result of a partnership among Crowley, the San Diego County Air Pollution Control District, the California Air Resources Board, the Port of San Diego, the U.S. EPA and the U.S Maritime Administration.
The eWolf, under continuing construction, is a crucial component of the shared commitment between Crowley and its federal and local partners to invest and develop emissions-free technology. It is designed to operate at its full performance capabilities while running entirely on electricity.
Crowley is a privately held, U.S.-owned and -operated maritime, energy and logistics solutions company serving commercial and government sectors with $3.4 billion in annual revenues, over 170 vessels mostly in the Jones Act fleet and approximately 7,000 employees around the world – employing more U.S. mariners than any other company. The Crowley enterprise has invested more than $3.2 billion in maritime transport, which is the backbone of global trade and the global economy. As a global ship owner-operator and services provider with more than 130 years of innovation and a commitment to sustainability, the company serves customers in 36 nations and island territories through five business units: Crowley Logistics, Crowley Shipping, Crowley Government Solutions, Crowley Wind Services and Crowley Fuels.
