SPOKANE, May 11, 2010 – A major state business group is honoring Foss Maritime for the world’s first hybrid tug, a vessel delivering on its promise to bring cleaner air and greater fuel efficiency to ports and merchant fleets.
Today the Association of Washington Business (AWB) announced Foss won an Environmental Excellence Award in the Green Enterprising Technologies category for the Carolyn Dorothy, which was built cooperatively with the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles to help those communities cope with local air pollution issues. Don Brunell, AWB president, congratulated Foss for the innovative hybrid, which was recently featured on a segment of the History Channel’s Modern Marvels: Super Ships. The tug will also be featured in an upcoming issue of AWB’s magazine, Washington Business. “This is environmental innovation that’s already paying off,” Brunell said. “And it doesn’t surprise me it’s coming from Foss, a national and international leader in the maritime industry. The Carolyn Dorothy may be the first, but I believe Foss and its hybrid technology stand to tap markets far beyond Washington state.”
The Carolyn Dorothy was introduced in the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles in January of 2009 as an innovative approach to reducing air pollution. The vessel was designed to retain the power and maneuverability of her conventional Dolphin class sister tugs, while dramatically reducing emissions, maintenance costs, noise and fuel consumption.
The same hybrid technology used to develop the Carolyn Dorothy can be used to convert existing harbor tugs-and other types of vessels-to hybrid vessels. Gary Faber, President and COO of Foss Maritime, thanked the AWB for recognizing the company’s commitment to innovation and the use of cutting edge environmental technology. Said Faber, “At Foss, we have a ‘zero trace’ corporate goal. The Carolyn Dorothy and our hybrid technology is an important part of that strategy. Think of all the world’s ports – and all the harbor tugs working in them. What an opportunity we have to bring cleaner air and greater fuel efficiency.”
