Curtin Harbor Services, LLC · Zero-Emission Harbor Tug Initiative
The World’s Largest
Zero-Emission Harbor
Tug Program.
Eight battery-electric tugs. Two ports. One historic commitment to clean air for the communities that have waited long enough.
in World History
The Initiative
Why This Changes Everything
Harbor tugs run 24/7 in the heart of port communities — docking the massive ships that carry 40% of all U.S. container imports. They’ve run on diesel for over a century.
The Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach handle nearly half of all goods entering the United States. The tugs that serve those ships operate around the clock in San Pedro and Wilmington — communities that have shouldered the air quality burden for generations.
Curtin Harbor Services is deploying eight purpose-built battery-electric harbor tugs — zero exhaust, full diesel-equivalent performance, and a replicable model for every major port in the country.
Zero exhaust at the point of operation
No diesel combustion, no particulate matter, no NOx
Full performance parity with diesel
55T, 70T, and 100T bollard pull vessels
6 MWh battery — full shift on a single charge
12-hour endurance. Charges in 2.5–3 hours
Real-time telemetry on every vessel
Live emissions data — power draw, charge cycles, geolocation
Hydrogen fuel cell ready
Future-proofed for next-generation fuels
Built in America
Snow & Co. Shipyard, Seattle, WA
This Is Not a Proposal
The tugs are in the water. The program is active.
Our first vessel, the Tuuli C, currently undergoing outfitting, launched May 5, 2026. The second hull launched August 18, 2026.
The Vessels
Purpose-built for the world’s hardest harbor work.
Performance parity with diesel was the non-negotiable design requirement. Three classes cover every ship-assist scenario.
55-Ton Class
Standard Ship Assist
Purpose-built for standard container and cargo vessel operations. Two hulls already in sea trials.
70-Ton Class
Heavy Cargo Ops
Designed for larger vessels and more demanding harbor maneuvers. Hulls 3 and 4 under construction.
100-Ton Class — Tiger Lily
Ultra-Heavy Duty
The most powerful class in the fleet, for the heaviest ships calling any U.S. port. Hydrogen fuel cell ready.
Environmental Impact
Real numbers. Real relief for port communities.
San Pedro and Wilmington have carried the pollution burden of the world’s busiest port complex for decades. Zero exhaust means zero — not reduced, not offset.
Fleet-Wide — If All 17 LA/LB Harbor Tugs Go Electric
Charging Infrastructure
Zero-emission power. Anywhere a port needs it.
No new shore infrastructure required to get started. Curtin Maritime’s unique solution to crowded waterfronts and limited access to utility power is to build our own power plant. The eTug’s charging infrastructure will be built entirely on a barge operating on a self-contained microgrid.
Start Charging Immediately
The tugs were designed with charging source flexibility in mind, capable of powering up from 480V shore power or efficient DC fast chargers.
Floating Charging Solution
Building the charging infrastructure on a barge allows for rapid deployment in new areas of operation. Green fuel powered onboard electricity generation eliminates reliance on the grid, furthering the eTugs resilience and operational readiness.
Deploy to Any Port in America
The barge-based system deploys to any port without fixed infrastructure at the destination. Reliable, repeatable charging infrastructure supports wider adoption of the technology throughout the Nation’s Port System.
Our Partners
Best-in-class across every phase of the program.
Electric marine technology, American shipbuilding, and clean-energy infrastructure — under one program.
Electric Marine Technology
Arc Boats
LA-based Arc Boats supplies the 6 MWh battery packages and electric powertrains for all eight tugboats, with live telemetry on every vessel.
Shipyard & Construction
Snow & Co.
Seattle-based Snow & Co. fabricates the entire fleet. Curtin holds a 50% ownership stake — securing construction control and capacity to scale to 20+ vessels per year.
Charging Infrastructure
Motive Energy
Delivering shore-side charging at both ports. Experts in utility interconnect, on-site microgrid, and hybrid solar/BESS solutions for reliable clean energy at every berth.
About Curtin Maritime
Curtin Harbor Services is a Curtin Maritime initiative.
California-based, American-owned. Founded in 1997 by Captain Martin Curtin. ~$240M annual revenue, 550 employees, and the largest EPA Tier 4 emissions-compliant tug fleet in the country. The $200M Zero-Emission Harbor Tug Initiative is our commitment to leading the maritime industry’s decarbonization — not following it.
Program Economics
The business case is as strong as the environmental case.
With the cost of building electric tugs trending down with each boat coming off the assembly line, other cost saving attributes come into focus. It’s less about what the boat needs to be maintained and more about what it doesn’t need compared to conventional diesel tugboats. The savings in materials, downtime and waste oils in dramatic.
| ZE Tug | Diesel Tug | |
|---|---|---|
| Build Cost | ~$18.5M | $12.5–15M |
| Annual Maintenance | ~$150,000 | ~$400,000 |
| 10-Year Maintenance | ~$1.5M | ~$4M |
| 10-Year Savings | $15M+ per vessel | |
From Our Leadership
Built by people who don’t wait for permission.
“These tugs deliver the power and reliability we need while giving us a smarter, low-maintenance fleet. At Curtin, we don’t wait for someone else to build the future — we build it ourselves.”
“Tugboats are the workhorses of our ports. Our goal is to rebuild the commercial industry around modern, efficient, and reliable hybrid-electric powertrains. This deal is a huge first step.”
Community & Workforce
Clean air. Union jobs. American-built.
Designed from day one to serve the communities closest to the ports — not just the industry that operates in them.
Union Workforce
Union Crewed
Tugs crewed by Union members, aligned with Port and longshore labor standards. Charging infrastructure employs union electricians. Good-paying American labor.
Domestic Shipbuilding
American-Built
All eight vessels built at Snow & Co. Shipyard in Seattle, WA. Curtin supports Jones Act and Buy America Build America policies to keep this work domestic.
Environmental Justice
Community First
Working closely with organizations like the PPCAC, Coalition for Clean Air, Harbor Community Benefit Foundation and others, Curtin is helping achieve community goals. These vessels provide real, measurable reduction to air pollution in Port adjacent communities.
LA 2028 Olympics
Zero-emission for the world stage.
The 2028 LA Olympics carries a zero-emission mandate for port operations. We are working to have Curtin Harbor Services’ ZE tugs operating in harbor during the Games — with the entire world watching.
Get Involved
Ready to be part of the clean port future?
Whether you’re a port operator, shipping line, regulatory agency, investor, or community organization — there’s a role for you.
Charter or Lease a ZE Tug
Direct charters, leases, partnerships, and vessel sales available. Flexible on structure — what matters is getting clean tugs in the water.
Regulatory & Funding Partnership
Working with CARB, AQMD, POLB, POLA, SCAQMD, and MARAD. If your organization wants to accelerate port decarbonization, let’s connect.
Community & Research Collaboration
Arc Boats telemeters live data from every vessel. This real-time dataset on ZE commercial operations doesn’t exist anywhere else. Research collaborators welcome.
Redefining Harbor Power. Driving Clean Air. Built by Americans.
Curtin Harbor Services · A Curtin Maritime Corporation Initiative