Denmark’s First Electric Tugboat is Named by Her Majesty Queen Mary
Denmark’s, and Svitzer’s, first electric tugboat was named by Her Majesty Queen Mary at a ceremony in Copenhagen.
The new tugboat will carry the name Svitzer Ingrid, as announced by Her Majesty during the naming ceremony, which was attended by more than 100 executives from the Danish maritime industry. Svitzer Ingrid has a battery capacity equivalent to that of 23 modern electric cars and can perform most tasks using electricity, thereby reducing annual CO₂ emissions by 600 to 900 tons.
Svitzer operates a fleet of over 450 tugboats, assisting large tankers, container ships, and cruise vessels safely in and out of ports. Ingrid is Svitzer’s first fully battery-powered tugboat. A second electric tugboat has been ordered for delivery in 2026, and Svitzer is also in the market for additional four electric tugboats. Since 2016, Svitzer has operated four hybrid tugs in Australia.
Svitzer Ingrid will be recharged using renewable energy supply at the Port of Helsingborg.
Facts about Svitzer Ingrid:
- Hybrid vessel with a 1,808 kWh battery, equal to 23 modern electric cars
- Also fitted with a conventional diesel engine• Reduces CO₂ emissions by 600–900 tons per year compared to existing Øresund tugs
- Full charge takes about 3.5 hours; in practice, around one hour of charging is sufficient for operations
- 90% of tasks can be completed on battery power
- Length: 25.4 meters, Width: 12.7 meters, Draft: 5.4 meters
• Bollard pull (BP): 70 tons
Svitzer vessels in Scandinavia, including Svitzer Ingrid ,are named after figures from Nordic mythology. The name also carries a royal reference to Queen Ingrid. This is the second time that H.M. Queen Mary has named a Svitzer vessel, having previously named Svitzer Marysville in Melbourne, Australia in 2011.