Long Beach to fund hybrid tugboat

The funding will come from Technology Advancement Programme money set aside under the San Pedro Bay Ports Clean Air Action Plan. If funding from the Port of Los Angeles is also approved, Foss will begin building the hybrid tug this year and will start using it in port operations in 2008.

A hybrid tug is expected to cost about US$3m more than a conventional diesel vessel, but is expected to cut pollution by at least 44%. The hybrid engine will operate in a similar way to Toyota’s hybrid Prius car, switching from its diesel engine to an electric motor during idling.