EverWind Partners with Damen to Launch Innovative Low-Emission Tugboat Fleet

EverWind Fuels announced an investment of approximately $50 million to launch a new three-vessel fleet of advanced, lower-emission tugboats in the Strait of Canso. The modernized vessels will help enhance maritime sustainability, improve infrastructure reliability, and support green shipping corridors in Nova Scotia. This project, one of the largest private sector investments in the Strait of Canso in the last 50 years, will have a significant impact on the local economy, creating good long-term jobs and leveraging the experience and expertise of local skilled workers to strengthen Nova Scotia’s position as a leader in sustainable maritime operations.

The investment will be supported by an expansion of EverWind’s Marine Team by approximately 15 new local employees responsible for safety and tugboat operations. These new advanced vessels will be owned locally and will replace EverWind’s contracted fleet of three tugboats which were built between 1992 and 2004, aligning with Canada’s clean energy transition and reinforcing EverWind’s commitment to innovation, efficiency and environmental responsibility.

The state-of-the-art vessels are required to facilitate specialized operations associated with the transportation of green hydrogen and ammonia produced at Point Tupper, establishing a regional export hub to reach lucrative clean fuel markets. The vessels will continue to be used to support existing industries operating in the Strait of Canso, serving as a valuable asset in the local marine sector.

Purpose-built and designed for local use, the new tugboats are expected to arrive in the summer of 2025 and will be in full compliance with International Maritime Organization (IMO) Tier III emissions standards, the most stringent emissions standards for the international marine industry. These standards were designed to improve air quality and protect public health by controlling emissions from ships.

Greenhouse gas emissions from the new vessels will be significantly lower than the current fleet, delivering reduction of approximately 80