Canada-based naval architect Robert Allan Ltd has been awarded a contract to design a battery-powered tugboat for Tianjin Port in Northern China.

The AmpRA 3600 series tug will be constructed at Jiangsu Zhenjiang Shipyard, the firm said in a statement on its website.

Measuring 35.8 m in length, the tug will be powered entirely by batteries, with no onboard diesel generators for backup.

Key components will be supplied by leading Chinese firms, including more than 7 MWh of batteries from CATL, an electrical system from the 704 Institute, and L-drives from Nanjing High Accurate Marine Equipment Co.

This will be the first battery-powered Robert Allan-designed vessel to operate in China.

While battery power is gaining momentum for smaller vessels operating in coastal areas or on short voyages, the technology is not yet viable for large ocean-going ships on long-haul routes.

These vessels will likely need to transition to alternative marine fuels or adopt fuel cell technologies.