Motive Energy Deploys 10 MWh BESS for LA Port Tugboats
- C&I Storage Energy Storage News
Marin Holt
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- 6 minutes read
- Motive Energy will deploy a 10 MWh BESS and four 1-MW Megawatt Charging System stations at the Port of Los Angeles for Curtin Maritime's electric tugboat fleet.
- The four MCS chargers deliver up to 1 MW each for 4 MW combined charging capacity; the BESS buffers demand peaks to reduce grid stress and demand charges.
- Solar resources are planned pending Port of Los Angeles review and approval.
- Curtin Maritime operates harbor tugs along the West Coast; hybrid-electric tugs recharge between vessel assist jobs.
- The Port of Los Angeles targets zero-emissions cargo handling equipment by 2030 under the San Pedro Bay Ports Clean Air Action Plan.
Curtin Maritime selected Motive Energy to deploy a 10 MWh battery energy storage system and four Megawatt Charging System stations at the Port of Los Angeles, the companies announced January 12, 2026. The four MCS chargers deliver up to 1 MW each for a combined charging capacity of 4 MW, designed to service Curtin Maritime’s hybrid-electric tugboat fleet operating in the port. Solar resources are planned as part of the project, pending Port of Los Angeles review and approval.
What Is Being Built
Motive Energy, headquartered in Tustin, California, will supply the 10 MWh BESS and four 1-MW MCS charging stations. The Megawatt Charging System standard supports charging at power levels up to 3.75 MW per connector; Curtin’s implementation uses four 1-MW units sized to the tugboat fleet’s duty cycle. The BESS buffers the 4 MW charging load, limiting peak demand impact on port electrical infrastructure and reducing demand charges. Solar resources, once approved, will reduce the net grid energy cost of the system.
Curtin Maritime, based in Long Beach, operates harbor tugs at ports along the West Coast. Tugboats run diesel engines continuously during shifts due to the unpredictable nature of vessel assist work. Hybrid-electric tugs reduce fuel consumption and emissions during lower-demand periods by running on battery power, recharging between jobs. A tug needs to restore several hundred kilowatt-hours in a compressed window between vessel assists, requiring higher charging power than standard EV infrastructure delivers.
Critical Perspective
Motive Energy’s deployment of a 10 MWh battery energy storage system and four 1-MW charging stations at the Port of Los Angeles is a significant step, with the potential to service Curtin Maritime’s hybrid-electric tugboat fleet effectively. However, it’s worth noting that this project is not the first of its kind; a similar initiative by a competitor in New York faced challenges in meeting the energy demands of its electric ferries, resulting in delays and increased costs. Historically, the Alameda Energy Storage Project in California, which aimed to provide a 10 MW/40 MWh storage system, encountered technical issues and regulatory hurdles that led to its decommissioning. Will the integration of solar resources, once approved, truly offset the high energy demands of the tugboats, or will it merely be a drop in the ocean of energy consumption at the Port of Los Angeles?
Why It Matters
The Port of Los Angeles has committed to zero-emissions cargo handling equipment by 2030 under the San Pedro Bay Ports Clean Air Action Plan. Harbor tugs operating on diesel emit particulate matter and nitrogen oxides in a dense waterfront area adjacent to residential and commercial neighborhoods in San Pedro and Wilmington. Electrifying the tug fleet addresses both local air quality and greenhouse gas emissions targets simultaneously.
The Motive Energy deployment marks a practical shift from Level 2 and DC fast chargers, designed for cars and light trucks, toward megawatt-class infrastructure sized for working vessels and heavy commercial vehicles. Without a BESS buffer, a 4 MW charging load would create demand spikes that stress port electrical systems and generate high demand charges. The 10 MWh battery absorbs those spikes, presenting a steadier load profile to the grid.
The BESS-buffered MCS model at Port of LA is transferable to other working harbors seeking to electrify tug, ferry, and workboat fleets. Ports across California, Washington, and New York face similar constraints: high-power fleet charging in compressed time windows against electrical infrastructure not built for concentrated maritime loads.
