US-based marine firm Curtin Maritime has invested $160m for eight hybrid-electric ship assist tugboats.
The tugs will be built by the Snow & Co shipyard and will be equipped with Arc’s vertically integrated electric powertrains, delivering over 4,000 bhp and backed by a 6MWh battery buffer.
According to Arc, the project marks the largest commercial deployment of electric workboats in the US marine industry’s history. The first four tugboats are set for delivery before the end of 2027.
This project is currently fully funded by private investment, demonstrating a strong business case for hybrid-electric vessels.
“Tugboats are the workhorses of our ports. They’re critical for our national supply chains and defence logistics, yet are largely powered by outdated, unreliable, and harmful diesel engines,” said Mitch Lee, CEO of Arc.
“These tugs will deliver the power and reliability we need while giving us a smarter, low-maintenance fleet,” added Martin Curtin, CEO of Curtin Maritime.
