A pusher, pusher craft, pusher boat, pusher tug, or towboat, is a boat designed for pushing barges or car floats. In the United States, the industries that use these vessels refer to them as towboats. These vessels are characterized by a square bow, a shallow draft, and typically have knees, which are large plates mounted to the bow for pushing barges of various heights. These boats usually operate on rivers and inland waterways.

The ship is designed to maximize the usage of on-board energy. In addition to providing propulsion, the hydrogen power system provides cabin and wheelhouse heating. The waste heat from the fuel cells is used for continuous water cooling, and a heat pump is used to heat the cabins.

With 750 kilograms of high-pressure compressed hydrogen on board and a battery capacity of around 2,500 kilowatt hours, the push boat can propel the Ursus for approximately 215 nautical miles. Combined with one more charging station, there is sufficient range to transport Elektra along the waterways of the region to Ruhr, Hamburg, and Stettin.

In 2023, the first hydrogen tank exchange and electric charging stations for push boats will be operational in Berlin’s Westhafen and the port of Lüneburg. The detachable H2 tanks may be switched using the ship’s crane, while the shore power cables are handled mechanically to save time.

According to Internet