Marine battery maker AYK Energy has completed a battery replacement project for four Svitzer hybrid tugs operating at Chevron‘s Gorgon LNG terminal in Western Australia.

The new AYK battery systems replace units first installed in 2012 and offer twice the energy density, giving the tugs more power and range, the company said in an emailed statement on Tuesday. 

Each tug now carries 1.3 MWh of capacity, with the batteries built at AYK’s plant in Zhuhai, China.

AYK Energy’s founder, Chris Kruger, said the new systems are safer, cheaper and easier to maintain.

He added that marine batteries like these are helping the shipping industry cut emissions.

AYK uses lithium iron phosphate batteries, which it says are safer and more efficient than nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) systems.

The company expects its battery sales to reach 100 MWh in 2025.