Marine Log - February 2009 - (Page 27) PROPULSION HYBRIDS Maintenance on the Carolyn Dorothy’s Cummins QSK50 Tier 2 main engines (inset) should be greatly reduced in the hybrid propulsion system application can be recharged using shore power. Additional benefits of the hybrid are estimated fuel and lube savings of 20 to 30%, reduced life cycle costs, can act as mobile power generating station; reduced noise, flexible design to take advantage of technology developments; easily adaptable for retrofits as well as newbuilds. The drawbacks with the technology are significant initial investment. The Foss hybrid tug is estimated to cost as much as $2 million to $3 million more than a conventional Dolphin Class tug. DOES YOUR TUG LOOK GOOD IN GREEN? Foss currently doesn’t have plans to build anymore hybrids for harbor work. “For us,” says Hayman, “the next step would most likely be to retrofit an existing boat to hybrid, once we have gained some experience with this boat.” The Carolyn Dorothy was also the first tug in North America to obtain Green Passport certification from Lloyd’s Register North America, Inc. The Green Passport documents all of the materials onboard a vessel that may be harmful to people or the environment, and that require special handling. The record accompanies the vessel throughout its operational life. Every five years, it is reviewed and recertified. At the end of the vessel’s life, it helps the ship recycling yard to formulate a safe and environmentally friendly way of decommissioning the vessel. THE HYBRID CLUB Of course, Foss Maritime is not the only one working on marinizing hybrid technology. As we reported previously (ML, April 2007, p. 33, “Green Tugs: Coming to a Harbor Near You?”), RiverQuest, Pittsburgh, Pa., took delivery of a 150-passenger Explorer, a “floating classroom” that has a hybrid dieselelectric ELFA propulsion system and integrated commercial system furnished by Siemens Energy and Automation, Atlanta, Ga. What’s significant about the vessel, the Explorer, is that it was designed by www.marinelog.com FEBRUARY 2009 MARINE LOG 27 http://www.marinelog.com
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