Fujian promotes use of electric-powered tugboats to reduce emission, increase efficiency in port operations

Coastal province of Fujian in east China has been promoting the use of electric-powered tugboats to help vessels handling port operations more efficiently and environment-friendly.

At Xiamen Port, a fully electric-powered tugboat -- supported by a 2-megawatt high-power fast-charging facility at the port that can fully charge the tugboat in three hours -- has been commissioned recently.

Equipped with an onboard intelligent management platform that monitors the tugboat's battery level and equipment status in real time, the tugboat can assist one large cargo ship with eight port entry and exit operations, while significantly reducing carbon emissions compared to conventional fuel-powered tugboats.

"For routine short-distance berthing and unberthing operations within the port, we prioritize fully electric-powered tugboats. For long-duration, long-distance, or heavy-load operations, we use a mix of electric and fuel-powered tugboats flexibly to balance energy conservation and emission reduction with operational requirements, while ensuring that vessel turnaround efficiency remains unaffected," said Xie Dongyuan, deputy manager of the equipment engineering department under Xiamen Port Shipping Co., Ltd.

In recent years, Fujian has fully leveraged its industrial strengths in power batteries and shipbuilding, and developed a comprehensive industrial chain covering vessel research and development, design, construction, and operations.

"We will promote the large-scale adoption of electric-powered tugboats and working vessels in port areas, so as to establish demonstration routes for electric cargo ships along the coast," said Dou Bingzheng, deputy director of the equipment industry division under Fujian Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology.

On Friday, the World Maritime Equipment Conference 2026 opened in Fuzhou, the provincial capital. The 4th Fujian International Maritime Equipment Expo, which showcases more than 7,000 products and tech achievements from over 800 exhibitors at home and abroad, was held on the sidelines of the conference.

Fujian promotes use of electric-powered tugboats to reduce emission, increase efficiency in port operations

Fujian promotes use of electric-powered tugboats to reduce emission, increase efficiency in port operations

Russia said Saturday that its forces had taken control of eight more settlements in Ukraine, while Ukraine, on the same day, said it downed 1,396 Russian drones.

In a daily report, the Russian Defense Ministry said that over the 24 hours, the Russian forces seized eight Ukrainian settlements in areas including the Kharkiv region, and struck Ukrainian military transport infrastructure, drone storage sites, and temporary deployment points.

It also said that the Russian air defense systems downed 654 Ukrainian fixed-wing drones and a HIMARS rocket, and that Russia's Black Sea Fleet destroyed a Ukrainian naval unmanned boat in the Black Sea.

Meanwhile, Russia's Defense Ministry said that in the early hours of Saturday, Russian forces used high-precision land-, air-, and sea-based weapons and attack drones to launch large-scale strikes on metallurgical plants, transformer factories, and energy facilities in Ukraine's city of Kryvyi Rih, the Zaporizhzhia region, and the Zhytomyr region that provide support to the Ukrainian military.

The ministry also said the Russian forces struck a dry cargo ship transporting military supplies to Ukraine's Odesa port in the Black Sea.

Also on Saturday, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said that over the past day, Ukraine's air force, missile units, and artillery struck targets including Russian troop concentrations and drone command posts, destroying one Russian tank, two armored vehicles, and 1,396 drones, among other weapons and equipment.

The Ukrainian air force said Saturday that from Friday night to Saturday morning, its air defense forces intercepted 293 aerial targets, including four Kalibr cruise missiles and 289 drones of various types.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Russia used more than 320 drones and various types of missiles to attack Ukraine's energy facilities and multiple cities and communities, with more than 15 key power generation and transmission facilities across Ukraine being hit.

Zelensky said that Russia is trying to disrupt Ukraine's energy supply before winter and cause widespread power outages.

Russia claims seizing more Ukrainian settlements, Ukraine says downing 1396 Russian drones