October 26, 2022
Captain Jordan Pechie is the Senior Project Manager for HaiSea Marine – a joint venture majority owned by the Haisla Nation in partnership with Seaspan ULC. Captain Pechie recently had an opportunity to share HaiSea’s story at the International Tug & Salvage Convention in Istanbul, Turkey.
What makes HaiSea Marine special and unique?
First and foremost, it’s the relationship with the Haisla Nation. HaiSea is a joint venture, majority owned by the Haisla Nation, with a mandate to operate at the highest level of safety and environmental standards, which will allow this legacy to thrive for generations to come. HaiSea will also boast North America’s most advanced tug fleet, as first announced in 2021, and it’s validating and encouraging to see other Marine Operators following our lead on the electric tug front.
Who will HaiSea Marine serve?
HaiSea Marine has a major contract with LNG Canada to build and operate escort and harbour tugs required for their export facility in Kitimat.
Tell us about the HaiSea Fleet.
The harbour tugs are battery electric, with more than 5,000 kWh of installed battery capacity on each tug. This large battery bank will allow them to perform all their missions on battery power alone, with shore charging between missions from the local hydroelectric grid.
The escort tugs are dual fuel (LNG and diesel) with an exhaust after-treatment system. Even though these tugs will use gas for their regular operations, the after-treatment system will make them compliant with the highest IMO Tier III emissions standards.
This Fleet will reduce emissions of CO2 by up to 10,000 tonnes annually compared to diesel alternatives.
When is the first electric tug expected to arrive?
We anticipate HaiSea’s first electric tug to arrive May 2023 – making it the first fully electric tug in the world. We expect the whole fleet to be ready for the first LNG cargo in 2024.
How are you preparing for the arrival of your full fleet?
My goal is to make our culture the most welcoming one. As a modern marine start-up, we’ve created the opportunity to do things differently. The first part of the journey started with the design of the tugs and the adjoining facility. With the help of our mariners, we designed these workspaces to be welcoming of all genders, focusing on comfort, privacy, and well-being.
A few of the early steps we’ve taken are:
- Tug accommodations are single cabin with modern comforts including satellite wifi
- Our shore facility, known as the Kitimat Maintenance Facility, has gender-neutral bathrooms and a modern fitness center.
- Re-writing of our operating procedures to ensure that instructions to our crews were gender neutral. Gender specific terminology removed from documentation.
Our crews will need to be hired and fully trained in 2023, ready for the arrival of the world’s Greenest tug fleet.