Seagate launches Japan’s first dual-system tugboat

Bisan Maru adds onboard fuel blending system, cutting reliance on bunkering logistics.

Seagate Corporation has launched and named the Bisan Maru tugboat at Kanagawa Dockyard in Kobe, Japan, on 22 April. 

In a press release, the company said the vessel is scheduled to enter service at the Port of Mizushima in Okayama Prefecture in August 2026, following interior works.

The tugboat is the first Japanese tugboat fitted with a biofuel blender and an ultrasonic hull anti-fouling system, and operates on a conventional diesel propulsion system using marine fuel oil, the press release read.

The biofuel blender, manufactured by Conhira Co., Ltd., mixes marine fuel oil and biofuel at ratios between 0% and 100% onboard the vessel, allowing fuel blending without reliance on external bunkering of pre-mixed fuel.

The ultrasonic hull anti-fouling system, developed by M-SAT.LLC, uses ultrasonic waves to reduce marine organism build-up on the hull and maintain fuel efficiency.

The system was developed for a hybrid electric tug scheduled for completion in 2027 and has been installed on Bisan Maru for operational testing.

Seagate Corporation operates as a consolidated subsidiary of Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (“K” LINE).

The group references its environmental programme K LINE Environmental Vision 2050, which includes the introduction of alternative fuels such as ammonia, hydrogen, bio-LNG, and synthetic fuels.