Latin America’s first fully electric tug sets off for delivery
The Sanmar-built ElectRA Series tug, named Trapananda, has been loaded aboard a transport ship to be delivered to SAAM Towage’s operations serving ENAP (Empresa Nacional del Petróleo) in Puerto Montt, Chile, where it will reportedly become the first fully electric tug to operate in Latin America.
Electric tug design
ElectRA Series tugs are the product of Sanmar’s collaboration with Robert Allan and battery supplier Corvus Energy. They are available in a variety of sizes (19-28m) and bollard pull capacities (40-85 TBP). Trapananda measures 25.4m in length and has a beam of 12.86m and draft of 5.6m. With a battery capacity of 3,616kWh, it delivers more than 70 tons of bollard pull and can reach speeds of up to 12.5kts. It has accommodation for up to seven crew members.
International sustainability
The tug was loaded onto the transport vessel in Tuzla, Turkey, on May 25, 2025, to begin its voyage to Puerto Montt in Chile. SAAM Towage already operates two ElectRA 2300SX tugs, so Trapananda will be its third fully electric tug. It is the eighth ElectRA Series tug that Sanmar has delivered, with six more currently under construction.
Ali Gürün, chairman of Sanmar, said, “This is another first for the ElectRA Series, which will soon be operating on three continents. We are delighted that major operators such as SAAM Towage share our vision of a sustainable tug and towage industry.”
Pablo Cáceres, sustainability and development director at SAAM Towage Fleet, said, “This third fully electric tugboat introduction in another of our major regional operations – and specifically delivering a sustainable solution to one of our strategic clients such as ENAP – is evidence of the trust that SAAM Towage has in our reliable partner, Sanmar. We are certain that the Trapananda will achieve the sustainability goals that we have imposed on ourselves, making both SAAM and Sanmar proud of our decisions.”
In related news, Trapananda recently completed sea trials
