Kotug and Cargill launch the world’s first zero-emission electric pusher tug & barge combination

Cargill has partnered with Kotug International to deploy Kotug’s zero emission E-Pusher™ and E-Barges, the world’s first fully electric pusher boat and barges to transport cocoa beans from the Port of Amsterdam, the largest cocoa import port in the world, to Cargill’s cocoa factory in Zaandam, the Netherlands.
Pushers and barges are essential, efficient methods of delivering goods by water from Dutch ports to the Netherlands and beyond. On June 8, 2023, Cargill became the first company in the world to put into operation a fully electrified pusher and barges for inland shipping, eliminating both emissions and noise pollution.
The E-Pusher™ type M is part of the KOTUG E-Pusher Series, a range of modular and scalable electrically powered pusher tugs for inland waterway transport. The range comprises four models: the E-Pusher CityBarge, the E-Pusher S, M and L.
With this series, KOTUG offers a sustainable solution for transport over water for short, medium and long distances.
Combining modular construction with the globally patented design of the zero-emission E-Pusher™ is a completely new approach to shipbuilding. The basis consists of a PE hull construction with a steel/aluminium frame and electric propulsion. The design of the E-Pusher™ offers the unique ability to switch between containerized energy sources ranging from hydrogen to batteries and everything in between. With the E-Pusher™, KOTUG supports companies working on a sustainable supply chain.