Arc boats recently announced a $160 million deal with Curtin Maritime to build eight electric "ship assist" tugboats that will help further the zero-pollution goals for the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. 

According to an Electrek report, the deal isn't being done due to grants and subsidies; instead, it's simply the most economically viable way forward for both companies. 

In the years leading up to this, Arc and its engineering team — which includes former staff from SpaceX, Tesla, and Rivian — have launched a variety of consumer models, including the Arc Sport and Arc Coast, as well as a smaller tug prototype that's already at work at the Port of Los Angeles. 

The company shared that the Los Angeles and Long Beach port complex handles more trade than any other port in the Western Hemisphere — dealing with 76% of all waterborne goods moved in or out on the West Coast, and 31% of nationwide goods. 

These eight hybrid-electric tugboats will help further the Los Angeles port's zero-pollution goals for 2035, adding to existing investments in clean trucks that are used at the docks. 

The tugs will include Arc's electric powertrain backed by Curtin's maritime expertise to deliver 4,000 horsepower worth of electric propulsion backed by a six-megawatt-hour battery. This is enough power to handle the job of guiding giant cargo ships into the dock, making up for their lack of dexterity in tight spaces. 

"Tugboats are the workhorses of our ports. They're critical for our national supply chains and defense logistics, yet are largely powered by outdated, unreliable, and harmful diesel engines," said Mitch Lee, Arc CEO and co-founder, in a statement. 

"Our goal is to rebuild the commercial industry around modern, efficient and reliable hybrid-electric powertrains, and this is a huge next step."

Around 80% of the world's goods are transported by sea, and international shipping accounted for 2% of all global energy-related carbon pollution in 2022.

Dirty fuels have historically been responsible for 99% of the sector's energy demand and are primarily responsible for its planet-warming pollution. 

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Shipping manufacturers are starting to build ships that can use cleaner biofuels or run on more sustainable alternatives like hydrogen, but electrifying port equipment can play a major role in cleaning up the industry's pollution problem. 

Arc's electric tugboats are technically hybrid-electric, since they will have onboard diesel generators to provide backup power when needed, Electrek noted, but they're being designed as electric first.

The company also has plans to install megawatt charging stations at the Port of LA to help recharge the tugboats in between jobs, the outlet added. 

Commenters were generally supportive of the announcement and Electrek's reporting, with one saying, "Great points, great article, and great concept."

According to Arc, the first four of these tugboats will arrive by 2027 and help handle operations at the ports, which together move about one-third of the nation's waterborne goods. They'll also be supporting the location's 10-year goal of transitioning to zero emissions. 

"We're excited to do this on the largest stage possible," said Kofi Asante, Arc vice president of business development. "Our vision is to have the broadest industry impact."

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