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Fregate drives hybrid propulsion technology in South America
Safeen prepares for Khalifa port expansion Bouchard Transportation orders new ATBs as it celebrates 100 years of operations
“Our biggest challenge is to keep our business sustainable under the current commercial pressures� Kasper Friis Nilaus, managing director, Svitzer Europe, see page 21
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Contents 4th Quarter 2018 volume 5 issue 4
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11
Regulars 5C OMMENT 6 ORDERBOOK ANALYSIS 18 CONTRACTS & COMPLETIONS 60 TECHNOLOGY BRIEFING
Newbuild profile 11 Eugene was built to enhance escort and port operations in Kenya 12 Kinaki heralds a new era for New Zealand tug technology 15 Fregate has hybrid propulsion to reduce emissions in South America 16 Island Raider redefines Canadian ATB operations
25
Operator profile 21 Svitzer tackles the European commercial and operational challenges through investment and fleet management
Special focus: Americas 25 Bouchard Transportation explains its investment in new ATBs for US Jones Act petroleum trades as it celebrates its 100th anniversary 26 Vane Brothers expands ATB fleet with orders at three shipyards 27 US owners enhance fleets through newbuilding additions
38
28 VT Halter secures newbuilding orders for North American tugboats 29 Gulf Island Fabrication boosts order backlog 30 Software enhances shipyard engineering capabilities 32 New tugs expand South American towage fleets, especially for SAAM Smit Towage in Brazil where it has met strong competition
Terminal operations 34 Safeen prepares for Khalifa port expansion with new tug orders 35 Abu Dhabi Marine Services' commitment to digital technology 36 Dual-fuel tugs are constructed in Singapore, Japan and China 37 Panfido orders LNG bunkering tug-barge combination
58
Propulsion 38 Caterpillar’s hybrid packages are a leap ahead in tug propulsion technology 41 Combining LNG and hybrid technology cuts emissions and operating expenditure for owners 43 A round-up of the new workboat engines that were unveiled at the SMM exhibition in Hamburg, Germany
Tugs of the year 46 A summary of the most innovative tugs that entered service in 2018 highlights the latest trends in design and construction
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Tug Technology & Business | 4th Quarter 2018
Contents 4th Quarter 2018 volume 5 issue 4
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Bridge technology
Editor: Martyn Wingrove t: +44 20 8370 1736 e: martyn.wingrove@rivieramm.com
51 Integrated bridge systems can deliver greater tug performance 52 Enhanced situational awareness and development in thruster controls 54 Radar revealed for a new generation of workboats
Legal & insurance 56 Guidance on what salvors should expect when a salvage operation becomes a wreck removal
Brand Manager: Indrit Kruja t: +44 20 8370 7792 e: indrit.kruja@rivieramm.com Head of Sales – Asia: Kym Tan t: +65 6809 1278 e: kym.tan@rivieramm.com
57 Explanation of the pros and cons of the LOF salvage form
Sales – Asia & Middle East: Rigzin Angdu t: +65 6809 3198 e: rigzin.angdu@rivieramm.com
Inland operations
Sales – Australasia: Kaara Barbour t: +61 414 436 808 e: kaara.barbour@rivieramm.com
58 How a fleet of tugs is aiding the transportation of materials and plant for Gazprom’s Amur gas project in eastern Siberia 59 Nibulon begins operating the first of a newbuild tug series in the Ukraine
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Next issue
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Main features include: • Special focus – Asia • Tug designers • Propulsion – engines and power plant • Oceangoing and project towage • Classification
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Tug Technology & Business | 4th Quarter 2018
Total average net circulation: 5,000 Period: January-December 2018
Disclaimer: Although every effort has been made to ensure that the information in this publication is correct, the Author and Publisher accept no liability to any party for any inaccuracies that may occur. Any third party material included with the publication is supplied in good faith and the Publisher accepts no liability in respect of content. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, reprinted or stored in any electronic medium or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior written permission of the copyright owner.
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COMMENT | 5
ATBs provide a future for LNG bunkering LNG is a maritime fuel of the future that is available now. With increasing numbers of ships and harbour vessels being built with dual-fuel engines, demand will rise rapidly
Martyn Wingrove, Editor
“One tug could transport multiple barges that could be fully loaded with LNG for bunkering”
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I
t will not be long before there are hundreds, if not thousands, of LNG-fuelled ships, outside of the gas carrier sector, sailing around the world’s oceans and they will all need LNG bunkers. There is growing interest from energy providers to invest in vessels that can provide liquefied gas fuel for these ships. However, there are expenditure and capacity issues to overcome. I admit that I am not a naval architect and have not studied ship design, however, I can see there are benefits and downfalls to building ships as bunkering vessels versus using barges. LNG bunkering ships may have the benefit of being able to sail under their own steam, but the engineroom space reduces LNG storage capacity and raises the costs. One answer is to store LNG in tanks on the deck. In which case, why have a ship-shaped design when a flat deck barge would be more suitable? Barge operations are more susceptible to poor weather and sea conditions, but when these are less of an issue, there should be no reason not to use them. Another challenge is providing barges with propulsion. Which is where tugs provide the resource. They can be combined as an articulated tug-barge (ATB) unit or one tug could transport multiple barges that could be fully loaded with LNG for bunkering. Two projects have demonstrated there is serious interest in ATBs for LNG bunkering. Italian group Rimorchiatori Riuniti’s Panfido affiliate has ordered a tug and pontoon barge combination for supplying LNG and marine gas oil fuel along the Italian coast of the Adriatic Sea (see page 7). This unit will include an LNG-fuelled tractor
tug manoeuvring a 4,000-m³ capacity nonpropelled pontoon to supply LNG to ships in the region around Venice, Italy. On the other side of the Atlantic, VT Halter is building a 4,000-m³ capacity LNG bunkering barge and LNG-powered tug as an ATB project for Quality LNG Transport (Q-LNG). This is expected to provide LNG bunkering services, under a long-term contract to Shell, and will be operated by Harvey Gulf International Marine when it comes into service in Q1 2020. Shell will use this ATB to refuel cruise ships and other dual-fuel vessels in the southeast of the US. VT Halter is also set to build an 8,000-m³ capacity ATB for Q-LNG, which will be a scaledup version of the smaller bunker vessel, but with the same design features (see page 28). There are other ATB and barge-based LNG bunkering vessels in planning and this is set to be a growing trend for the tug sector. So will the construction of LNG-fuelled tugboats. In Singapore, Shell and Keppel group have formed a joint venture, FueLNG, for LNG bunkering services to be conducted at Jurong Port. Its first two clients will be gas-fuelled tugs Maju Loyalty and KST Liberty, operated by Keppel and Royal Boskalis Westminster (see page 36). Companies considering investment in LNG bunkering services, and there is a rising argument for this, should consider barges for delivering fuel to ships and tugs for towing or pushing them. There are plenty of benefits of choosing an ATB for these services and shipyards with experience constructing them. It is time to build a fleet of ATB bunkering units to meet increasing demand for LNG fuel. TTB
Tug Technology & Business | 4th Quarter 2018
6 | ORDERBOOK ANALYSIS
Vibrant towage industry doubles newbuilding orders Asian shipyards dominate tug contracting and Turkish yards pledge to build more speculative newbuildings as orders jump above 130 new units, writes Barry Luthwaite
Med XXIX was the last of six tugs built by Med Marine for its Turkish fleet
R
egional towage markets remain vibrant with new orders in 2018 nearly doubling last year’s business. Owners realise more modern and powerful tugs are required especially for ports receiving their largest-ever ships. In Asia, this has been good news for smaller yards, particularly those in Indonesia and Malaysia that had fallen on lean times since the collapse of the offshore support vessel market. Tight building space and rising costs have seen owners ordering in relatively unproven shipyards. Orders in Q3 2018 for units of more than 20 m in length reached an impressive 51 units bringing the total contracted in 2018 to 132, as of 4 October. This compares to 75 tugs contracted during the whole of 2017. There may be more in the small tonnage sector that remain under
Tug Technology & Business | 4th Quarter 2018
the radar as they are under construction at little-known shipyard sites. If speculative newbuilding contracts are included, European yards dominated orders during Q3 2018. Of the 51 tug orders, 25 contracts were with European shipyards and 12 with Asian yards. Overall, the bullish industry is likely to continue in the immediate future with ports struggling to decide on contract hire or building their own vessels. Owners of coastal and deepsea trading ships do not normally operate their own tug fleets, but one rare exception to this is Formosa Plastics Corp. It operates harbour tugs under its Taiwan subsidiary Mai Liao Harbor Administration Corp to serve Keelung and Kaohsiung ports. This corporation has invested in its biggest ever expansion programme to
receive seven newbuildings over 13-25 months. They will complement the current fleet of nine vessels when they enter service from 2019. The PaxOcean group, which owns six shipyards in Indonesia, Singapore and China, won the international tender to construct these newbuildings at its Graha Trisaka Industri site in Batam, Indonesia. Three 25-m long units will be delivered by mid-2019 and two 29.2-m units by the end of 2019. These will be constructed to Paxocean’s own SRP design. Graha Trisaka will also build two 33.5-m tugs by May 2020. These mark a breakthrough in the Taiwan market for Canadian designer Robert Allan, which received an order to design a new type TRAktor 3100-V class tug after close co-operation with PaxOcean to win the shipbuilding contract. The new design centres on Voith propelled tugs for harbour operations, tanker escort and offshore terminal duties. Propulsion for all seven will be provided by twin Niigata engines. In Q3 2018, Malaysia-based Lighthouse Marine Shipbuilding gained orders for two harbour tugs from Tong Hang Marine for 2019 delivery. Rival shipbuilder Tai Tung Hing secured a contract to build a harbour tug for an unnamed owner to be commissioned in 2019. Chinese shipyards secured business for 15 tugs in the first six months of this year with at least 10 commissioned through the year so far from pre-2018 contracts. A policy of speculative construction has been adopted in addition to catering for domestic port requirements. Most of these are azimuthing stern drive (ASD) tugs designs with Robert Allan exerting a strong influence for unrestricted navigation ABS-classed units. Four ASD tugs were recently offered for sale with prompt delivery within a 2-3 month span ex-stock. This is likely to prove a winning hand. Additionally, four ASD vessels were delivered in a month by Jiangsu Zhenjiang
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ORDERBOOK ANALYSIS | 7
shipyard during August/September and are serving the ports of Fuzhou, Nantong Yangkou Port and Ningbo Zhoushan Port. Demand from Chinese authorities for port tugs is likely to see a steady increase in acquisitions, all of which will be built in China. But export business may be a tougher nut to crack, although prospects are improved if designers, such as Robert Allan and Damen Shipyards, are on board. Cheoy Lee in Hong Kong continues to receive a steady flow of tug orders, most of which are switched to construction by Hin Lee shipyard in China. For example, India-based Ocean Sparkle placed an order for four 75-tonne bollard pull anchor handling units for delivery through 2019. In India, Shoft Shipyard secured contracts to build two harbour tugs from the Indian Government. These will have 50 tonnes of bollard pull when they enter service, expected in 2019.
Turkish newbuildings
With the current depreciation of the Turkish Lira, there is a competitive advantage to ordering new tugs in the country. Sales are dominated by ex-stock tonnage built by Sanmar and Uzmar. It is often difficult to pinpoint how many tugs are on the orderbook of these two yards but the successful formula of building and then selling tugs continues to be a major asset ploy. The latest owner to award Sanmar a contract is Norwegian company Bukser og Berging (BuBe), which returned for a single Robert Allan TRAktor 3000-class escort terminal tug specifically for the owner’s requirement in meeting a newly secured contract for towage duties in Scandinavia. Classed with ABS, the vessel will incorporate twin Tier III engines developing in total 4,500 kW of power. This ASD tractor type will deliver in Q1 2020. Five tugs were delivered to BuBe in 2014, two of which were the world’s first LNG-fuelled units. Many owners prefer tractor design tugs for increased manoeuvrability in confined spaces. Sanmar recently delivered a quartet of Robert Allan Bigacay series of fire-fighting ASD tugs of RAstar 2900 SX designs. They will join the Svitzer fleet and boast a bollard pull ahead of 90 tonnes with a free running speed of over 14 knots. MTU will supply the quartet each with two 2,700-kW main engines turning Schottel SRP560 CP
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Ocean Sparkle ordered more tugs from Cheoy Lee, which built two terminal tugs for the Indian owner
Rudderpropellers, while Caterpillar will supply the generators. MTU confirmed this is the debut of high-speed engines fitted in this highly powered class. Previously it has only been possible to use medium-speed engines. Several owners have been looking at more powerful tugs nudging bollard pulls of 100 tonnes, which may open the way for more such orders from MTU. The quartet, named Svitzer Tanger, Svitzer Tetouan, Svitzer Chefchaouen and Svitzer Al Hoceima, will be the most powerful to serve in the Mediterranean at the Tanger Med 2 terminal. Sanmar added four tugs to its speculative building programme in Q3 2018. It currently has an order backlog of at least 21 tugs, but there are undoubtedly more for stock account under the radar. Fellow compatriot Uzmar adopts a similar policy for building stock and holds an order backlog of at least 20 vessels During Q3 2018, Uzmar announced that 16 additional tugs would be built during the first nine months of 2019. Med Marine also builds tugs for its domestic fleet and for export, having just completed a six-tug newbuilding campaign and is planning more newbuildings in 2019. ASD tug Med XXIX, with Caterpillar main engines and Schottel azimuthing thrusters, joined the domestic fleet in September, following five others delivered earlier this year. Med Marine has another 10 tugs to build on the orderbook, plus nine mooring vessels and five pilot boats.
Mediterranean orders
Elsewhere in the Mediterranean, Spain’s Sener will design an LNG bunkering vessel to serve Italy and the Adriatic area. The LNG construction is a semi ballastable barge transporter combining an LNGfuelled tractor tug pushing a 4,000-m3 LNG capacity non-propelled pontoon. This tug will be available for multipurpose duties including dual-fuel powered towage, escort, rescue, supply and salvage duties. It will have Voith propulsion and 65 tonnes of bollard pull. The project is co-funded by the EU through the Poseidon MED II programme and the twin units will come under ownership of Rimorchiatori Riuniti Panfido. Construction is likely to be in Italy where tug construction has suffered through competition from Spain, Turkey and Asia. In Spain, shipyard Murueta secured a contract from owner Ibaizabal for a harbour tug that should enter service in 2020. Brazil’s industry is slowly stirring after the collapse of its offshore business. More tugs are needed for shuttle tankers working in Brazilian offshore fields in the Campos Basin and elsewhere. Starnav placed an order at Detroit Brasil for eight powerful tugs for delivery up to 2020 and is a subsidiary of the shipbuilder. Ibercisa won a contract to design, build and deliver a complete hydraulically driven deck machinery package including winches, chain stoppers, capstans and hydraulic power system for the vessels. TTB
Tug Technology & Business | 4th Quarter 2018
8 | ORDERBOOK ANALYSIS
Harbour
6
4 8
14
255
ATB Tractor
10
Salvage Other Pusher
Worldwide orderbook
GRAND TOTAL
(1 October 2018)
297
North America
24
South America
8
GRAND TOTAL
132 TUG Orders by Builder Region January 2018 - September 2018 >20 m source: BRL Shipping Consultants
Tug Technology & Business | 4th Quarter 2018
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ORDERBOOK ANALYSIS | 9
0
60
Asia
23
Europe
52
Far East
24 Harbour
Middle East
1
ATB Tug
24
North America
Salvage
South America
8
Tractor
Europe
Asia
52
23 Middle East
1 Far East
24
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Tug Technology & Business | 4th Quarter 2018
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NEWBUILD PROFILE | 11
Eugene provides greater towage power in East Africa Kenya Ports Authority has ordered a Robert Allan-designed escort tug to boost its ability to handle post-Panamax ships simultaneously in Mombasa port
Eugene is a RAstar 3200 escort tug with a bollard pull of 76 tonnes
C EUGENE PARTICULARS Owner: Kenya Ports Authority Builder: Cheoy Lee Shipyards Delivery: July 2018 Designer: Robert Allan Type: harbour/escort tug Design: RAstar 3200 Class: Lloyd’s Register Length, oa: 32 m Beam, moulded: 12.80 m Hull depth, moulded: 5.37 m Draught: 5.80 m Bollard pull: 76 tonnes Ahead speed: 13.5 knots Main engines: 2 x CAT 3516C HD diesel Thrusters: 2 x US 255 FP Z-drive Gensets: 3 x Cummins, 80 kW Accommodation: 8 crew
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heoy Lee Shipyards delivered one of the most powerful harbour tugs to operate on Africa’s east coast in July this year, as the port authority owner strived to improve capabilities at a key commercial shipping terminal. Eugene was built to a Robert Allan design and Lloyd’s Register class as a harbour and escort tug. It was built by Cheoy Lee’s Hong Kong shipyard with a bollard pull of 76 tonnes for the Kenya Ports Authority to boost capacity in Mombasa port. Its arrival allows the Kenya Ports Authority to handle three ship berthings and unberthings simultaneously at the port, as the majority of vessels calling at Mombasa are up to postPanamax in size. The azimuthing stern drive (ASD) tug was built to a RAstar 3200 design with an overall length of 32 m, a moulded beam of 12.80 m and a moulded hull depth of 5.37 m. It has a free running speed of 13.5 knots and accommodation for a crew of eight. It also has a maximum draught of 5.80 m for most harbour operations. In designing the hullform, Robert Allan used model testing and full-scale trials to ensure it met the escort towing and seakeeping performance requirements of owners. The naval architects said the “motions and accelerations are significantly less than those of comparable sized" standard tug hulls. During sea trials, Eugene had an ahead bollard pull of 75.6 tonnes and an astern bollard pull of 76
tonnes, derived from its Caterpillar-manufactured main engine systems driving a pair of US 255 fixed pitch Z-drive units supplied by Rolls-Royce and deployed in an ASD configuration. In the engineroom there is a pair of CAT 3516C high-speed diesel engines, each able to produce up to 2,240 kW at 1,800 rpm. There are also three identical Cummins diesel generator sets, each with a power output of 80 kW. Eugene’s deck machinery incorporates a forward ship-assist hawser winch manufactured by MacGregor. There is also an aft radial-type tow hook and a capstan on the aft deck to facilitate line handling operations. Its ship-handling fenders at the bow consist of one row of cylindrical fenders at the main deck level, plus W block fenders between the main deck and the knuckle. In addition, Eugene has two hollow D fenders that provide protection at the main and fo'c’sle deck sheer lines, and W block fenders at the tug’s stern. This RAstar ASD tug has a FiFi 1 fire-fighting system and a wheelhouse designed for maximum all-round visibility to both fore and aft deck working areas for the tug’s master. Eugene has tank capacity to accommodate 193 m³ of fuel oil, 35 m³ of fresh water and 16 m³ of foam for the FiFi1 fire-fighting system. Its main accommodation includes a cabin each for the tug's master and chief engineer. There are three additional two-person cabins on the lower accommodation deck, a galley and lounge. TTB
Tug Technology & Business | 4th Quarter 2018
12 | NEWBUILD PROFILE
Kinaki heralds a new era for New Zealand tugs P
ort Taranaki has introduced a new type of tug to its fleet in response to growing requirements for ship support in one of New Zealand’s largest and busiest harbours. Kinaki has become one of the most powerful and advanced tugs operating in the nation’s harbours. Its arrival heralded the start of a new chapter in New Zealand’s towage history. Kinaki initially arrived in Lyttelton, New Zealand, in June this year after a 73-day journey on a heavy-lift transport ship from Istanbul, Turkey, where it was constructed. This 25-m, 336-gt harbour tractor tug then sailed to its new home in New Plymouth, on New Zealand’s west coast, where it replaced the oldest of Port Taranaki’s three tugs – 47-year-old Kupe. Kinaki was built by Sanmar Shipyards to an adapted Robert Allan design. It is the first to be completed in Sanmar’s TRAktor 2500-SX series and can be operated by a crew of just three seafarers, although it has accommodation for six people. During sea trials, Kinaki achieved a free running ahead speed of 12.5 knots and bollard pull of 62 tonnes. It has a moulded beam of 12 m, a moulded hull depth of 4.5 m and maximum draught of 5.7 m. Kinaki was designed and constructed to satisfy all applicable rules and regulations
Tug Technology & Business | 4th Quarter 2018
With 62 tonnes of bollard pull, this harbour vessel is the first of a new series of tractor tugs designed by Robert Allan and built by Sanmar
KINAKI PARTICULARS Owner: Port Taranaki Builder: Sanmar Delivered: June 2018 Designer: Robert Allan Type: tractor tug Design: TRAktor 2500-SX Class: ABS Length, oa: 25.30 m Beam, moulded: 12 m Hull depth, moulded: 4.55 m Draught: 5.74 m Bollard pull: 62 tonnes Ahead speed: 12.5 knots Main engines: 2 x CAT 3512C diesel Thrusters: 2 x US 205 P20 Z-drive Gensets: 2 x CAT C4.4 Accommodation: 6 crew
TANK CAPACITIES Fuel oil: 84 m³ Potable water: 12 m³ Fifi foam: 3.9 m³ Used oil tank: 3 m³
Kinaki is a TRAktor 2500-SX-design harbour tug with twin Rolls-Royce Z-drives
Sewage tank: 6.7 m³
of ABS class. During its design, Robert Allan and Sanmar used computational fluid dynamics to streamline the hull and ensure an optimal balance between controllability, manoeuvrability, fuel efficiency and roll dampening. The TRAktor 2500-SX design was then tested at the Vienna Model Basin. Its hull stern includes effective StRAke stabilisers developed by Robert Allan and Voith which improve a tractor tug’s directional stability and enable architects to reduce the skeg size to improve manoeuvrability and fuel efficiency, said Robert Allan. These features were of particular importance to Port Taranaki’s operation in the tough conditions experienced on New Zealand’s west coast. So is the raised forecastle and elevated wheelhouse that
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NEWBUILD PROFILE | 13
PROFILE
MAIN DECK PLAN
provide good all-round visibility of the working decks. This is particularly useful when performing ship-assist operations off the stern, said Robert Allan. Naval architects included a higher bow freeboard to enhance seakeeping when working in exposed waters and minimise the volume of seawater on board. Kinaki’s accommodation includes a double cabin on the main deck and two double cabins on the lower deck. There is also a galley, mess room and wet gear room located on the main deck.
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Propulsion and machinery
Kinaki’s main propulsion consists of a pair of Caterpillar 3512C diesel engines, each rated 1,902 kW at 1,800 rpm. These drive two Rolls-Royce US 205 P20 Z-drive units, each with a 2.5 m diameter controllable pitch propeller. Caterpillar also supplied two CAT C4.4 diesel generator sets, with each capable of generating 99 kW of electrical power at 1,500 rpm. Its deck machinery includes a DMTmanufactured TW-021-E double drum towing winch on the aft deck, with a force
of 250 kN spooled with 165 m of hawser towline on each drum. There are shiphandling fenders at the stern that consist of one tier of 800 mm and 400-mm cylindrical fenders at the main deck level. Tyres provide protection at the main and forecastle sides and sheer lines, and a single row of 300-mm hollow D-shaped fender protects the bilge. TTB Kinaki is the name of one of two mouri (life principal) stones that are situated within the breakwater of Port Taranaki.
Tug Technology & Business | 4th Quarter 2018
88 YEARS OF INNOVATION 1000+ TUGS DELIVERED
designs@ral.ca
www.ral.ca
1+604-736-9466
NEWBUILD PROFILE | 15
Hybrid tug introduced for South American dredging Fregate has hybrid propulsion and solar panels to reduce its gaseous emissions in the ports of Cayenne and Kourou, in French Guiana
D
utch Dredging and Iskes Towage & Salvage jointly invested in an innovative multipurpose tug, one of the first to operate with hybrid propulsion and solar panels in South America. Fregate was unveiled and added to the fleet in September with the latest engineroom systems and deck equipment. Fregate will work alongside 2017-delivered Papillon in the ports of Cayenne and Kourou in French Guiana. Both are operated by De Boer Remorquage SARL, a joint venture between Dutch Dredging and Iskes Towage, who signed a 12-year contract in 2016 to provide marine services to the Grand Port Maritime de Guyane. Both vessels assist shipping in Cayenne and Kourou and provide standby and fire-fighting support in emergencies. Fregate has additional dredging equipment for maintaining port approaches and motors that enable it to transit using just electric power. Fregate was built by Safe Engineering Services in Gdansk, Poland, to a Damen WID Tug 2915 design and to Bureau Veritas class for unrestricted navigation. It also holds a green passport. It has an overall length of 29.2 m, overall beam of 15 m, draught of 4.6 m and a bollard pull ahead of 42.5 m with a full speed of 12.5 knots. Dutch Dredging co-director Hugo van de Graaf said these vessels were designed and built for specific client requirements “such as the combination of very limited draught and length with adequate bollard pull.” Fregate’s main propulsion comes from two Caterpillar type 3512C engines with a combined power of 2,850 kW at speeds of 1,600 rpm. These drive a pair of Veth
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azimuth thrusters of type VZ 1250 VHD and a diameter of 210 cm. In addition, Fregate also has a Veth VT240 tunnel thruster at the bow that generates 200 kW at 1,500 rpm with a propeller diameter of 98 cm. Its hybrid drive comes from two electric motors that each generate 400 kW or power at 690 V of alternating current at 60 Hz. It also has a set of solar panels that load batteries, which complement power from the generators, motors and engines. Its hybrid drive set enables De Boer Remorquage to minimise emissions in French Guiana ports and lower fuel costs. However, there is still a full set of generator sets in the engineroom. These include one Caterpillar C7.1 genset that generates 150 kW of electrical power and a C4.4 genset that produces 86 kW of electrical power. A key part of Fregate’s deck machinery is the water injection dredging unit that can pump 10,400 m³/hr of water. This capacity comes from two BP 6055LD pumps, each working at 5,200 m³/hr at pressures up to 2 bar. These also drive two electric motors that each generate 340 kW of electric power. This tug has an AK30 HE2 deck crane supplied by HS Marine with capacity of 2 tonnes at 9.2 m. Also on deck is a TWE350KN electric-driven forward winch supplied by DMT. This has a double drum with one of these pulling 42-44 tonnes at a speed of 8 m/min or 14 tonnes at 24 m/min. Fregate also has an aft winch with a single split drum and with Dyneema rope for lowering the dredging arm. Its fire-fighting system was supplied by FFS with capacity to pump 2,850 m³/hr of water through two remotely operated monitors. This tug has accommodation for seven people. TTB
Fregate has two FFS remotely operated monitors and a WID dredging unit
FREGATE PARTICULARS Owner: De Boer Remorquage Builder: Safe, Poland Designer: Damen Type: multipurpose/dredging tug Design: WID 2915 Hybrid Class: Bureau Veritas Length, oa: 29.02 m Beam, oa: 15 m Draught: 4.60 m Bollard pull: 42.5 tonnes Ahead speed: 12.5 knots Main engines: 2 x CAT 3516C Thrusters: 2 x Veth VZ 1250 VHD Gensets: Caterpillar C7.1, C4.4 Accommodation: 7 crew Deck: WID, 10,400 m³/hr capacity
Tug Technology & Business | 4th Quarter 2018
16 | NEWBUILD PROFILE
Newbuild redefines Canadian ATB operations Island Tug and Barge’s Island Raider is the first of a new breed of articulated tug-barge units that will transport petroleum around western Canada
W
ith the inclement weather and rough seas around western Canadian shores, a series of new articulated tug-barge (ATB) units was required to transport oil in the region. Island Tug and Barge (ITB), a subsidiary of Tidewater Canada, has built two of its own tugs and barges for this purpose and christened the first, Island Raider, in September. This tug, along with sister vessel Island Regent, was built at ITB’s own Annacis Island construction facility along the Fraser River in British Columbia. They will be brought into service to transport barges with petroleum cargoes along the British Columbia coast, around Vancouver Harbour and in the Puget Sound. Once the 384-tonne hulls were finished at Annacis Island, they were lifted on to a heavy transport barge and shipped down the Fraser River. The barge was operated by Dynamic Heavy Lift and the transportation project was in partnership with Mammoet. Both ATB tugs were built to a Robert Allan design with Cummins main engines and RollsRoyce propulsion. They have an overall length of 24 m and beam of 12.5 m. Island Raider was unloaded in Vancouver’s Burrard Inlet in June, where it was fitted with deck equipment, completed and commissioned. After being delivered in September, it was mobilised to be paired with ITB’s double-hulled oil tank barge ITB Resolution to form an ATB unit with a fully loaded speed of 10 knots. Island Raider will be connected to the barge through an Articouple FRC 35S pin coupler with hydraulic pins that allow the tug to pitch, but not roll. It is powered by two Cummins KTA38M engines that produce 634 kW each at speeds of 1,800 rpm. Island Raider has carbon-fibre shafts that connect the engines to two Rolls-Royce Z-drives. These are US105 FP azimuthing thrusters with a four-blade in-nozzle propeller of 1,600 mm diameter. Also inside the engineroom are two John Deere 4045 AFM85 generators, producing 99 kW
Tug Technology & Business | 4th Quarter 2018
of electrical power each. There is a Kidde FM200 fire extinguishing system in the machinery space. The wheelhouse includes navigation equipment supplied by JRC Alphatron, including radar, electronic chart display, weather station, bridge navigation watch alarm system, magnetic compass and automatic identification system. Cobham Satcom supplied the Sailor VHF radio. Island Raider’s accommodation is for eight people in six cabins, although a standard crew will be four people. This accommodation has Norac wall and ceiling panels and Sika vibration and sound dampening floors to minimise noise. It is air-conditioned and heated to compensate for varying environmental conditions this tug will operate in. Other facilities include a stainlesssteel finished galley and large mess deck, exercise room, laundry room and office. Island Regent is scheduled to be delivered in February 2019 to join 11 other tugs in the ITB fleet. This company transports refined petroleum products along the west coast of Canada and into Alaska on a fleet of 20 barges. ITB also undertakes bulk fuel transportation and specialty towing. It is involved in marine logistics and has a marine services and subsea construction business. TTB
ISLAND RAIDER PARTICULARS Owner: Island Tug & Barge Builder: Annacis shipyard Designer: Robert Allan Type: Seagoing ATB Operating area: West Canada Length: 24 m Beam: 12.5 m ATB full-load speed: 10 knots Engines: 2 x Cummins KTA38M Thrusters: 2 x Rolls-Royce Z-drive US105 FP Genset: 2 x John Deere 4045 AFM85 Accommodation: 8 people Wheelhouse electronics: JRC Alphatron Communications: Cobham Satcom ATB coupler: Articouple FRC 35S pin
ITB's two new ATB tugs are loaded-on a transport barge on the Fraser River
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18 | CONTRACTS & COMPLETIONS
Delivery round-up: Asian shipyards on a roll Shipyards in east and south Asia were busy delivering newbuildings in Q3 2018
T
here was an increase in tug newbuilding deliveries in Q3 2018, compared with Q2, with Asian shipyards leading the way in completions. Overall, Tug Technology & Business noted 42 deliveries in July-September 2018 with 14, or 33%, built in Asian shipyards for domestic operators and for export. PaxOcean Engineering Zhuhai Co was busy completing tugs in Q3. It delivered two escort and berthing support tugs to PSA Marine in Singapore. These azimuthing stern drive (ASD) tugs, PSA Thor and PSA Hulk, were built to the same Robert Allan design and classed by Lloyd’s Register. They are RAmparts 3200 design tugs with 32-m overall length and a 12-m beam. PSA Thor and PSA Hulk have an operating draught of 5.5 m and accommodation for a crew of four. During sea trials, both tugs demonstrated ahead bollard pulls of 82 tonnes and free running speeds of 12.5 knots. Their main propulsion comes from a pair of Caterpillar 3516C diesel engines, each rated 2,525 kW at 1,800 rpm driving a pair of Schottel SRP 510FP Z-drive units with a 280-cm diameter fixed pitch propeller. PSA Thor and PSA Hulk have Cummins QSM11-M diesel gensets and escort towing winches on the bow and towing winches on their aft deck supplied by Rolls-Royce. They have FiFi1 fire monitors and pumps supplied by Fire Fighting Systems driven off the starboard main engine. PaxOcean is building two dual-fuel harbour tugs for PSA Marine’s Singapore operations for delivery in 2019. The group is also building eight harbour tugs for Formosa Plastics subsidiary Mailiao Harbor Administration Corp. Cheoy Lee Shipyards completed two RAstar 3200 design and Lloyd’s Register-classed tugs for SAAM Smit Towage Canada. SST Grizzly and SST Orca were mobilised to Vancouver, Canada, to join the local fleet in October. Cheoy Lee also delivered Eugene, an ASD tug of RAstar 3200 design, to the Kenya Ports Authority and had three RAmparts design tugs close to completion in October. Also in China, Jiangsu Zhenjiang Shipyard delivered at least five tugs to Chinese operators in Q3. Its latest delivery was ASD tugboat Yangkoutuo 5, built for Nantong Yangkou Port Co on 25 September. This tug has a total power of 3,240 kW and will be used for manoeuvring and berthing ships in Nantong Yangkou Port. Jiangsu Zhenjiang was close to completing two other tugboats during October after launching them on 20 September. Each of these ASD tugs has total power of 3,824 kW and they were built for unnamed domestic owners. The shipyards also delivered ASD tug Fu Gang Tuo 5 to the operator of Fuzhou Port on 29 August. This is an ASD harbour
Tug Technology & Business | 4th Quarter 2018
tug with a total power capability of 2,942 kW built to assist ships berthing at terminals. On 23 August, Jiangsu Zhenjiang hosted a dual tug delivery ceremony for Ningbo Zhoushan Port Group Co. These two ASD tugs have different power ratings, with Zhougangtuo 32 capable of developing 5,000 kW of energy and Gangxingtuo 234 having a capacity of 3,676 kW. Jiangsu Zhenjiang is building two ASD 40/35 pilot/tugboats for Tianjin Port to a Robert Allan design and China Classification Society (CCS)’s i-Ship notation. Sanlin Shipyard also started construction of two ASD 35/50 tugs for Tianjin Port in August to this i-Ship notation. All four vessels are scheduled for delivery in Q2 and Q3 2019. They will be equipped with intelligent navigation, engineroom, efficiency management and control centre systems to comply with CCS’s notation. Elsewhere in Asia, Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works handed over an azimuthing tug to the Pakistan Navy. This tugboat had an overall length of 34 m, a displacement of 481 tonnes, a bollard pull of 32 tonnes and speed of 12 knots. It is propelled by two diesel engines and azimuthing thrusters. In India, Hindustan Shipyard completed harbour tug Krittika for Deendayal Port. This was built to the yard’s own design with 50 tonnes of bollard pull. In Russia, Pella Shipyard completed two tugs for domestic operations. One was a naval tug built for the Russian Navy and the other is a terminal tug delivered to the operator of a tanker loading terminal in De-Kastri, in Eastern Siberia.
Damen ships 24 Asian vessels to Europe
Damen Shipyards shipped another batch of tugs, pontoons and workboats from its yards in China to Europe. It intends to prepare them for sale during Q4 2018, after their arrival in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, on 28 October. Damen contracted heavy lift ship, Tasmanic Winter, to transport 24 vessels from its shipyards in Changde and Yichang across the Northern Sea Route around the Arctic coast of Siberia and Russia to the Netherlands. The batch included a selection of Damen’s azimuth stern drive (ASD) and Stan tugs, incorporating tugs of ASD 2411, ASD 2009, ASD 3010 ICE and Stan 1606 designs and Stan 4512 pontoons. Also on board Tasmanic Winter were a number of smaller tug models, plus two Stan 804 launches and Multi Cat 1506 vessels. Damen expects most of the vessels in this batch of newbuildings will be ready for sale to customers seeking the shortest possible delivery times, including customisation when required, during the rest of this year. TTB
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CONTRACTS & COMPLETIONS | 19
TUGS DELIVERED Q3 2018 Tug name
Owner
Type
Builder
Operating country/region
Designer
Bollard pull (tonnes)
Navibulgar
harbour towage
MTG-Dolphin
Black Sea
Robert Allan
40
July Alioth BUK-2190
Russian Navy
harbour
Pella Shipyard
Black Sea
Cape Ann
Kirby
seagoing ATB
Master Boat
US
Guarino & Cox
48
Kenya Ports Authority
harbour
Cheoy Lee
Kenya
Robert Allan
75
Fuzhou Port
harbour
Jiangsu Zhenjiang
China
Jiangsu Zhenjiang
Port Taranaki
harbour
Sanmar
New Zealand
Robert Allan
62
Med Marine
harbour
Med Marine
Turkey
Robert Allan
50
Atomflot
ice towage
Vyborg Shipyard
Russia
Nibulon
ice escort
Nibulon
Ukraine
Nibulon
Dunlap Towing
oceangoing
Hansen Boat Co
US Pacific
Hockema Whalen Myers
Navesur
towboat
Tsuneishi Shipyard
Paraguay
harbour
Damen
Poland
Damen Castleman Marine
Eugene Fu Gang Tuo 1 Kinaki Med XXVIII Nadym Nibulon 100 Sigrid Dunlap Tebicuary 3
70
August Atlas Chincoteague
70
Vane Brothers
ATB
Conrad
US
Johannsen & Sohn
escort
Med Marine
Germany
Robert Allan
Fuzhou Port
harbour
Jiangsu Zhenjiang
China
Jiangsu Zhenjiang
Ningbo Zhoushan Port
harbour
Jiangsu Zhenjiang
China
Jiangsu Zhenjiang
Sanmar
harbour
Sanmar
Turkey
Robert Allan
Young Brothers
oceangoing
Conrad
Hawaii
Damen USA
PSA Hulk
PSA Marine
escort
PaxOcean
Singapore
Robert Allan
82
PSA Thor
PSA Marine
escort
PaxOcean
Singapore
Robert Allan
82
SST Arara
SAAM Smit
harbour
Wilson & Son
Brazil
Damen
70
Svitzer Tanger
Svitzer
terminal
Sanmar
Morocco
Robert Allan
91
Svitzer Tetouan
Svitzer
terminal
Sanmar
Morocco
Robert Allan
91
Ningbo Zhoushan Port
harbour
Jiangsu Zhenjiang
China
Jiangsu Zhenjiang
Claus Fu Gang Tuo 5 Gangxingtuo 234 Gokay II Kāpena Jack Young
Zhougangtuo 32
75
16
September Acamar
Shoreham Port
harbour
Macduff
UK
Macduff Ship Design
10
Cape Lookout
Kirby Offshore
seagoing ATB
Master Boat Builders
US
Guarino & Cox
48
Island Tug & Barge
seagoing ATB
ITB’s Annacis yard
Canada
Robert Allan
Marquette Transportation
inland towage
C&C Marine
US
CT Marine
Deendayal Port
harbour
Hindustan Shipyard
India
HSL
50
Maju Maritime
harbour
Keppel Singmarine
Singapore
Keppel O&M
73 82.5
Island Raider Jerry Jarrett Krittika Maju Loyalty Mars
Iskes Towage
harbour
Damen
Netherlands
Damen
Med XXIX
Med Marine
harbour
Med Marine
Turkey
Robert Allan
50
Mercurius
Iskes Towage
harbour
Damen
Netherlands
Damen
82.5 15.7
MTS Viking
MTS
multipurpose
Neptune Shipyard
Mediterranean
Eurocarrier
Nibulon
multipurpose
Nibulon
Ukraine
Nibulon
De-Kastri terminal
harbour
Pella Shipyard
Russia
SST Grizzly
SAAM Smit
escort
Cheoy Lee
British Columbia
Robert Allan
83
SST Orca
SAAM Smit
escort
Cheoy Lee
British Columbia
Robert Allan
83
Svitzer Glenrock
Svitzer
terminal
Damen
Australia
Damen
85
Svitzer Meridian
Svitzer
harbour
Sanmar
UK
Robert Allan
70
Pakistan Navy
harbour
Karachi Shipyard
Pakistan
Robert Allan
32
Nangtong Yangkou Port
harbour
Jiangsu Zhenjiang
China
Jiangsu Zhenjiang
Nibulon T3500 RB-2186
unknown Yangkoutoa 5
100
TOTAL DELIVERIES 42 Source: Tug Technology & Business online reports
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Tug Technology & Business | 4th Quarter 2018
OPERATOR PROFILE | 21
Svitzer Europe tugs handle a container ship in Sweden
Svitzer tackles European commercial and operational challenges Svitzer Europe managing director Kasper Friis Nilaus spoke to Martyn Wingrove about the challenges of operating one of the biggest tug fleets in the region
P
rice pressures and competition make the northern European tug and towage market one of the most commercially challenging for owners. Shipping companies and ports are under pressure to control costs, which affects profit margins for marine service providers. Therefore, tug owners need to generate methods of competing effectively and maximising their margins through operational and strategic innovation. In this competitive market, Svitzer Europe has become a leader in providing tug services
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and technical innovation. It mobilises tugs between ports to minimise downtime and offhire periods and can also utilise its links with the Svitzer global fleet to adopt tugs from outside the region when demand exceeds regional supply. Svitzer Europe managing director Kasper Friis Nilaus explained to Tug Technology & Business in an exclusive interview how his organisation tackles the commercial challenges of operating in northern Europe. It operates a fleet of around 115 tugs in eight European
countries with a steady newbuilding programme and access to tugs from regions, such as South America, when required. Mr Nilaus said Svitzer’s customers are “cost conscious and desire the lowest possible prices” from towage and tug services. “Europe is the hardest hit from market pressures. Despite this, we have been able to grow our business with 3-4% more jobs compared to last year,” he said, adding that there has been increasing competition in the countries Svitzer operates in. “Our biggest challenge is to keep our
Tug Technology & Business | 4th Quarter 2018
22 | OPERATOR PROFILE
business sustainable under the current commercial pressure. To succeed we need our operation to be efficient both on and offshore,” he said. “Rates are under significant downwards pressure. So, unless your operations are under control, it is difficult to grow in this market.” Svitzer Europe achieves efficiency by mobilising tugs around the fleet to meet variations in demand and profitability. “We have the scale and portfolio of tug operations to resist pressure on rates,” said Mr Nilaus. “Our operating challenge is about maintaining fleet utilisation. It is about getting as much out of our tugs, to have high service levels with the lowest number of vessels,” he told TTB. But where there are growth opportunities, Svitzer Europe is ready to take them. “We are constantly looking at how to grow the business and are monitoring the market.”
Efficient drydocking
To achieve this, Svitzer Europe has to minimise the number of days tugs are idle or unavailable due to technical issues. “We need tugs that are reliable as if tugs break down we have problems, at the same time we try to minimise unused tugs in ports. It is clearly an act of balance,” Mr Nilaus said. Tug maintenance is therefore vital to continue profitability. But so is minimising drydocking costs. With its large fleet, Svitzer Europe has heavy drydocking schedules and strategies to reduce the time tugs have to stay in repair yards. It has
“effective drydocking through planning,” said Mr Nilaus. This includes conducting routine maintenance while tugs are outside repair yards, during quiet periods in their operations. “We do not undertake routine maintenance while a tug is in dock,” he said. “We do as much maintenance as possible outside of the dock to reduce the direct costs and the out-of-service costs.” When tugs are moved into drydock, Svitzer Europe mobilises another tug for cover. Mr Nilaus said this was done in June when its 2018-built Svitzer Vale was mobilised from London to Bremerhaven, Germany, to cover a tug that went into drydock.
Newbuild additions
Svitzer Vale is one of two harbour tugs Svitzer ordered from Turkish builder Sanmar to supplement its operations in northern Europe. These are both Delicayclass tractor tugs with bollard pulls of around 70 tonnes and maximum speeds of 12.5 knots. Svitzer Vale arrived in the Port of London at the beginning of May. Svitzer Meridian was scheduled to arrive in July, when Svitzer Vale was to be mobilised to the Scandinavia and Germany cluster. However, Mr Nilaus said there were complications in these plans. “Svitzer Meridian was expected in October following additional requirements,” he said. Another method of achieving efficient operations is flexing tugs
Svitzer Europe operates a fleet of tugs in Southampton, UK (credit: Riviera Maritime Media)
Tug Technology & Business | 4th Quarter 2018
“We optimise the fleet and cover downtime by mobilising tugs to other ports”
between ports when required. This happened in Q2 this year when a tug was temporarily sent to Felixstowe, UK, for a ship-handling job, before returning to its home port of London. “We optimise the fleet and cover downtime by mobilising tugs to other ports,” said Mr Nilaus. Tugs can also be mobilised to replace older vessels, which improves the overall age of the fleet. “A new tug will replace a 10-year-old tug that will be moved to another port,” he explained, “to replace one that is 20 years old and that will replace a 30-year-old tug in another port. This cascade principle means we get the most out of the fleet." This also allows Svitzer Europe to be ahead of industry trends, such as the increasing need for more powerful tugs. “There has been inflation in bollard pull requirements with some ports now needing tugs with 80 tonnes of bollard pull,” said Mr Nilaus. There are still ports where 40-tonne bollard pull tugs can be used, “but having higher tonne tugs is becoming the norm.” For example, 10 years ago there would be four 50-tonne bollard pull tugs in a port, but now in the same port there will be four 70-tonne bollard pull tugs. “The standard size is 70 tonnes of bollard pull now,” he added. Svitzer tendered earlier this year for a terminal tug services contract. Mr Nilaus sees this as an example of client expectations. “The price difference between a 65-tonne and 70-tonne tug was minimal, so, our customers would go for a higher tug to future-proof the bollard pull against requirements,” he explained. With this in mind, there is a continuous need to renew the fleet in Europe, through careful newbuilding orders and global fleet movements. “We are maximising the life of our tugs by making a proper assessment before we look to expand the fleet,” said Mr Nilaus. Adding Svitzer Vale and Svitzer Meridian is an example of where Svitzer Europe found opportunities for
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OPERATOR PROFILE | 23
newbuildings after such assessments. It has also added to the fleet in the UK by mobilising tugs from outside the region. In July, 2008-built Svitzer Amazonas arrived in Liverpool from Colombia to bolster the fleet where Svitzer already operates six tugs in the port. Mr Nilaus said this azimuthing stern drive tug, with 65 tonnes of bollard pull, was “brought over to meet the increased requirements in Liverpool due to higher workloads in the port.” He added that a “sister vessel will be coming to the UK later this year from the Americas fleet.”
Kasper Friis Nilaus Employed by Svitzer since 2007, Kasper Friis Nilaus is a leader with high proficiency within the towage industry. Since the beginning of 2017, Mr Nilaus has been managing director of Svitzer Europe, the largest among four regions within Svitzer. As region head, he reports to Svitzer’s chief executive,Henriette Thygesen, and manages a fleet of 137 vessels. Over the years with Svitzer, Mr Nilaus has held several global positions within the business development and commercial space, including as global chief commercial officer. He is educated as a lawyer topped with an MBA in finance and business strategy. Before joining Svitzer, he practised law in a Copenhagen-based law firm.
Technology advances
Svitzer is a leader in developing technology for tugs – adopting the latest terminal tug designs, such as Sanmar’s new Bigacay series of terminal and escort tugs, and testing remote control techniques. Svitzer took delivery of Svitzer Tanger and Svitzer Tetouan tugs in August to support its operations at the Tanger Med 2 terminal in Morocco. Their architecture was adapted from a Robert Allan RAstar 2900 design. Svitzer has also tested technology for remotely controlling tugs in ports using Rolls-Royce systems to operate Svitzer Hermod from a shore centre. Mr Nilaus said these technical developments can “open up new opportunities for the industry to
improve” in a period when owners are commercially challenged. Remote tug control is one of these opportunity-opening technologies and tests continue this year to refine these techniques. Mr Nilaus expects there to be incremental adoption of this technology in the future as tug operators understand the potential commercial benefits. He said sensors and cameras could be added to tugs and commercial ships that are controlled by a master to improve their situational awareness. “I think the technology will be sliced up just like we have seen it in the car industry where more and more autonomous features have been added over the years, such as back sensors or automated parking,” he said. “We are constantly looking at the role of vessels to detect how this technology can be utilised.” Mr Nilaus thinks onshore control could be applied in tug operations. “Technology could be used to mobilise tugs between ports, with the vessel driven remotely with either a safety crew on board or the main crew resting so they are ready to work when the tug arrives in port,” he said. Technology was developed to connect tugs to vessels, using a harpoon or a drone for delivering messenger lines. “Perhaps this will help tackle safety hazards on deck that come from delivering lines – and solutions could come quickly,” said Mr Nilaus.
Svitzer Europe fleet details
Svitzer focuses on safety and training
Svitzer Europe operates a fleet of 137 vessels including 115 tugs and 22 workboats, such as line handlers. It has operations in ports in Denmark, Sweden, the Netherlands, Germany, the UK, Portugal, Georgia and Belgium. More than half of the fleet operates in the UK, and a quarter works in Scandinavian countries. Half of the total European tug fleet have bollard pulls of between 60-80 tonnes and 35% of tugs have a bollard pull range of 40-60 tonnes.
Safety is Svitzer’s number one priority. It has a global safety system that has been adapted to cover all of its operations. This includes emergency drills, management visits, incident reporting and seafarer training. “We have high targets for vessel drills and proactive reports that identify potential for safety issues and their solutions,” said Svitzer Europe managing director Kasper Friis Nilaus. “We identify potential issues, report on these and then there will be a fix for them and equally importantly, we share best practice between vessels, which makes good sense in a fleet with multiple sister vessels.” Svitzer Europe runs an apprenticeship scheme in the UK for 17-20 year olds. It also recruits and retrains seafarers and engineers from outside the towage industry. “There is extensive training on simulators,” Mr Nilaus said. The company uses tug simulators in different locations in Europe, “which allows us to do practical training with both new and experienced masters,” he said. Training also includes continuously assessing masters and retraining them when required for operating tugs in extreme situations such as in high waves. TTB
SVITZER EUROPE FLEET BY OPERATING COUNTRY tugs and workboats
% of total
UK
75
54.7
Scandinavia
35
25.5
Benelux
8
5.8
Georgia
3
2.2
16
11.7
137
100
Portugal Total Europe
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Tug Technology & Business | 4th Quarter 2018
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Bouchard Transportation operates ATBs for transporting petroleum products in the US
Owners invest in ATBs for US trade Several major providers of Jones Act petroleum transportation have taken delivery of new articulated tug-barge units to modernise fleets and enhance safety
EVENING STROLL PARTICULARS Owner: Bouchard Transportation Builder: VT Halter Marine Delivery: Q4 2019 Type: ATB Class: ABS Operating area: New York Length: 34 m Breadth: 10.5 m Hull depth: 5.2 m Propulsion: twin screw Power: 2,990 kW Coupling: Intercon EPA: Tier 4 Sister vessel: Evening Breeze
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B
ouchard Transportation Co is expanding its tugboat fleet while celebrating its 100th anniversary. It was founded in 1918 in New York by Frederick Bouchard and, in 100 years, it has grown to become one of the largest privately owned petroleum barge companies in the US. A family-run company, Bouchard operates a fleet of 25 tugs as part of articulated tug-barge (ATB) units with double-hulled barges for transporting petroleum products throughout the US. This year, Bouchard ordered new ATB tugs and barges from two US shipyards to expand the fleet. Its management plans to expand the operating fleet by 15% through newbuilding contracts. There are three vessels under construction, including ATB tugs Evening Breeze and Evening Stroll at VT Halter Marine, in Pascagoula, Mississippi. A barge with storage capacity of 55,000 barrels is also being built by Bollinger Shipyards in Louisiana. All three are expected to be delivered in 2019 to bolster the fleet and improve operational efficiency. Both ATB newbuildings will be similar to existing ATBs
Kim M. Bouchard and Donna J. Bouchard. For Bouchard’s president and chief executive Morton Bouchard III, the history of the company and continued investment are important considerations for the corporate strategy. “Over the past 100 years, the expansion of Bouchard’s fleet and dedication to serving our customers has been driven by the philosophy, vision and determination of our founding fathers, along with the efforts of five generations of the Bouchard family,” he told Tug Technology & Business. “As we celebrate our milestone anniversary, we are dedicated to continuing our rich heritage of barging expertise well into the future.” Providing training and safety to its seafarers and reliability to cargo owners are vitally important to Bouchard’s operations. “Our safety and vetting procedures and the technological advancements consistently being made to our fleet enable more efficient operations,” said Mr Bouchard. “These limit risk by providing environmental protection, a safe work environment for our crew and a reliable service for our customers.” Advances in technical equipment are designed to reduce emissions and improve operational efficiency. They include using the latest coupling technology on the newbuilding ATBs. Evening Breeze and Evening Stroll will be equipped with the newest modifications to the Intercon coupler and pin system and propulsion that complies with the US Environmental Protection
Tug Technology & Business | 4th Quarter 2018
26 | SPECIAL FOCUS Americas
KEY BOUCHARD TRANSPORTATION TIMELINE
1918 founded in New York by Frederick Bouchard.
1931 acquired first oil barge.
1955 third generation of the Bouchard family joined.
1989 fleet grows to more than 10 tugs.
1992 fourth generation (Morton Bouchard III) took the helm.
2010 fifth generation became actively involved in operations.
2016 reached 25 ATB units.
2018 ordered Evening Breeze and Evening Stroll.
Agency (EPA)’s Tier 4 emissions regulations. These tugs will have an overall length of 34 m, breadth of 10.5 m and 5.2 m hull depth. They will be classed for ocean towage and will meet US Coast Guard’s Subchapter M and SOLAS requirements. “Our recent investments will further increase the fleet’s fuel-efficiency, capacity and speed, resulting in an overall operation that continues to perform well above industry standards,” said Mr Bouchard. “We will continue to lead the market by investing our profits into innovative advancements in order to continue operating in the safest and most efficient manner.” Bouchard’s safety first philosophy is a core focus for the company, said chief operating officer Kevin Donohue. “The most crucial operational element is ensuring that everyone is safe and operating to company policies,” he said. This covers all levels inside the company from the board down to the apprentices. “Everyone has to understand that they have the ability to stop work, they have the ability to say ‘this is unsafe’ and to understand they will be supported from Bouchard upper management,” said Mr Donohue. He continued that experience and knowledge of the Bouchard’s crew, particularly of the tug captains, “helps ensure we are operating as safe as possible.” One of the captains explained how this safety message and training levels are adopted on Bouchard’s vessels. “Safety is a priority and is good business,” said ATB tug Donna J. Bouchard captain Richie Bates. “Bouchard’s vessels are built beyond the safety standards to keep us safe and to keep the company safe,” he told TTB. Bouchard’s safety management system requires each vessel to be vetted and evaluated every six months. In addition, each
vessel is assigned routine maintenance and repair schedules to guarantee the equipment is always operating at its optimal level. But safety also needs training and practice from the crew on board. “My philosophy on my vessel is: always be training,” said Capt Bates. “We are training every day, so, if a problem does arise, we are on top of it and we are always ready.” On the commercial side, Bouchard has built up relationships with key petroleum cargo clients through its 100 years of operation. “The relationship that we have with our customers and their vetting teams is critical to success,” said Mr Donohue. For Bouchard vice president of chartering Brendan Bouchard, loyalty and trust are essential for building the business. So is market intelligence. “We are always tracking and understanding the current market situation,” he said. “Times are changing, but one thing that does not change is loyalty.”
Bouchard fleet:
Bouchard Transportation operates a fleet of 25 tugs with propulsion power ranging from 2,240 kW to 7,450 kW. It also operates 26 barges with capacity of 35,000-260,000 barrels. This fleet all operates in Jones Act trades in the US and is primarily split between the Gulf coast and east coast. There was a significant addition to the fleet in 2016 when Donna J. Bouchard, Morton S Bouchard Jr, Kim Bouchard and Frederick E Bouchard were introduced. Six ATBs were delivered to the fleet in the last six years. Another four ATB tugs are less than 20 years old and five are less than 30 years old. Evening Tide is the oldest operating ATB in the fleet as it was delivered in 1970. Another five were built in the 1970s and five in the 1980s.
Vane Brothers expands ATB fleet Vane Brothers is working with three US shipyards to increase its fleet of articulated tug-barge (ATB) units and pusher tugs. It has newbuildings on order at Conrad Shipyards in Texas and Louisiana, Marylandbased Chesapeake Shipbuilding and St. Johns Ship Building in Florida. This fleet upgrade strategy was initiated to enhance the operational efficiency and safety of petroleum transportation operations in the US, said Vane Brothers president Duff Hughes. “We utilise the
Tug Technology & Business | 4th Quarter 2018
safest and most effective means to transport petroleum products wherever the need arises,” he said. “These newbuilds fill a variety of needs and help ensure that we have the most up-to-date fleet to continue delivering the highest quality of service.” Vane Brothers started an aggressive newbuild programme in 2001. Since that time, Vane port captain Jim Demske has supervised, outfitted, commissioned, and delivered 35 new tugs for the company. Capt Demske said the goal had been “to
build a modern, standardised fleet of tugs and barges that capitalise on crew safety.” Conrad Shipyards recently completed the second of three Assateague-class ATBs for Vane Brothers. Chincoteague left the yard in August to join up with doubleskin barge DS-802 to complete the set. The first of these ATBs, Assateague and DS-801, was completed in March this year. A third ATB set, Wachapreague and DS-803, is scheduled to be completed in Q1 2019. DS-803 will carry additional
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Americas SPECIAL FOCUS | 27
ASSATEAGUE PARTICULARS Owner: Vane Brothers Builder: Conrad Industries Designer: Castleman Marine Delivery: Q1 2018 Type: ATB Class: ABS Length: 33.5 m Engines: 2 x Cummins QSK60M EPA: Tier 3 Power: 3,300 kW Coupling: Beacon-Finland JAK 700 Sister vessels: Chincoteague, Wachapreague
heating elements specifically to aid asphalt transportation. These are 3,300-kW tugs that drive 80,000-barrel capacity petroleum barges. Tugs are designed by Castleman Maritime and driven by Cummins QSK60M Tier 3
engines. They are linked to the barges, which were designed by Bristol Harbor Group, using a Beacon Finland JAK 700 coupling system. Cummins engines are coupled to Reintjes WAF 873 gears with 7.087:1 reduction and turn 260-cm and 4-blade bronze propellers mounted on 24 cm shafts. Two Cummins QSB7-DM-powered 125-kW generators provide electrical power for each vessel with a Cummins powered 60-kW emergency generator. St. Johns Ship Building has an order for tugs Jacksonville and Charleston from Vane Brothers. They are part of a series of eight Elizabeth Anne-class vessels that are paired with 50,000-barrel barges. They each have 3.130 kW of power and Beacon Finland JAK 400 coupling units. The first of this class of tug, Elizabeth Anne, entered service in Q1 2016. Chesapeake Shipbuilding Corp is constructing four pusher tugs which will be Subchapter M compliant. They will have 2,240 kW of power and are designed for operating in shallow waters and protected harbours.
Vane Brothers took delivery of Chincoteague from Conrad Shipyards in August
Owners enhance fleets through newbuilding additions Other owners of articulated tug-barge (ATB) units and tugs providing coastal towage have expanded their fleets with newbuildings. Foss Maritime and its affiliates has tugs on order even though the group decided to close its own shipyard in Rainier in August. Foss was considering building 10 azimuth stern drive (ASD) tugs to a Damen design at the shipyard on the Columbia River, but closed the yard instead. A spokeswoman for Foss said the company “remained committed to building four new ASD 90 tugs for fleet replenishment” and would release details on this newbuild programme soon. In the meantime, Foss’ Hawaiian subsidiary Young Brothers is in the middle of a four-tug newbuilding programme. Conrad Shipyards is building these Kāpenaclass oceangoing tugs for inter-island transportation in the Pacific. The first of these tugs, Kāpena Jack Young, was delivered in September. The other three are expected to enter service in the next two years.
Young Brothers president Joe Boivin said these four tugs would reduce the average age of the fleet from 44 years to 12 years once they are in operation.
Kirby Corp has taken delivery of ATB tugs from Alabama-based Master Boat Builders. The latest to enter service, Cape Lookout,
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was designed by Guarino & Cox and classed to ABS to meet Subchapter M standards. It is powered by a pair of Tier 4 Caterpillar 3516E diesel engines. These drive 5-bladed Hung Shen propellers through Reintjes WAF 1173 marine gears with 7.429:1 reduction ratios. Cape Lookout has a maximum speed of 13 knots and a bollard pull of 48 tonnes. It is attached to a barge using a Beacon Finland coupling system. Cape Lookout
KĀPENA JACK YOUNG PARTICULARS: Owner: Young Brothers Builder: Conrad Industries Designer: Damen USA Delivery: Q3 2018 Operating area: Hawaii Type: oceangoing Class: ABS Length: 37.5 m Engines: 2 x General Electric 8L250 MDC EPA: Tier Power: 4,475 kW
is a sister vessel to Cape Ann, which was delivered in July. Marquette Transportation Co has extended its fleet of towboats with a series of four Z-drive tugs built by C&C Marine and Repair. It took delivery of the third in this series, Jerry Jarrett, in September, four months after the second, Chris Reeves, entered service. The first of these tugs Cindy L. Erickson, left the shipyard in February. All of these tugs are triple-screw Z-drive tugs with 4,920 kW of power. They were designed by CT Marine with breadth of 15 m. For each tug, Cummins is supplying three QSK60-M main engines paired to three Steerprop SP25D azimuthing Z-drive thrusters. Waterfront Services completed a newbuilding campaign in July this year after four tugboats were built by Master Marine. Miss Deborah was delivered to the owner in October 2017 and Tom Toretti joined Waterfront Services’ fleet in January 2018. Sam P. Hise entered service in April and Rick Pemberton was delivered in July. Middle River Marine added a towboat with Z-drives for inland waterway operations this year. Kamryn Olivia has two Cummins QSK-38 diesel engines, Z-drives from ZF Marine and a retractable pilothouse. TTB
Tug Technology & Business | 4th Quarter 2018
28 | SPECIAL FOCUS Americas
Yards benefit from newbuilding surge VT Halter Marine has facilities for repairs and vessel construction with a drydock
N
orth American shipyards have benefited from a growing number of tug and barge newbuilding contracts this year. US-based tugboat owners have ordered multiple units to modernise their fleets and meet the latest US Coast Guard and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations. Shipbuilding groups are building and maintaining strong orderbooks that stretch into 2020, and even further. Some shipyards have picked up repeat business through strong client relationships, while others have secured new contracts through their innovations and partnerships with naval architects. Shipyards cater for domestic owners
Tug Technology & Business | 4th Quarter 2018
Shipyards such as VT Halter Marine have secured newbuilding contracts as owners modernise North American tugboat fleets
operating with protection through Jones Act cabotage regulations and privilege. Yards are building articulated tug-barge (ATB) units for both inland and coastal transportation and tugs to support terminal operations. VT Halter Marine has secured repeat business from a long-time client and contracts for one of the world’s first LNG bunkering ATBs. This Pascagoula, Mississippi, shipbuilder has delivered 2,600 vessels to commercial and government customers in 29 countries and has a strong and diverse orderbook. VT Halter Marine senior vice president Robert Socha highlighted how the shipbuilding group had introduced the
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Americas SPECIAL FOCUS | 29
latest 3D engineering software, enhanced safety procedures and partnered with key ship designers to secure construction business, which also includes ferries, naval vessels and container roro ships. “Relationships, some going back over 37 years with return customers like Bouchard Transportation, are paramount,” Mr Socha told Tug Technology & Business. “This allows us to grow along with our diverse customer base.” VT Halter has produced vessels for 70 years using engineering and design capabilities from worldwide resources. “We leverage the core engineering competencies of the ST Engineering Group in Singapore whenever we can, to enhance our capabilities,” said Mr Socha. “We also use outside design agents when they bring designs or core competencies we do not have.” Extending its long relationships, VT Halter has a contract with Bouchard Transportation to construct two twin-screw ATB units for operations in New York state. The first of these ABS-class ATBs, Evening Breeze, is scheduled for delivery in Q1 2019 and the second, Evening Stroll, in Q1 2020 (see page 25). On another project, VT Halter is combining engineering of ATBs with LNG cargo for two bunkering units. It is building a 4,000-m3 capacity LNG transportation and bunkering barge and LNG-powered tug as an ATB project for Quality LNG Transport (Q-LNG). This is expected to provide LNG bunkering services, under a long-term contract to Shell, and will be operated by Harvey Gulf International Marine when it comes into service in Q1 2020. Shell will use this ATB to refuel cruise ships and other dual-fuel vessels in the southeastern US. VT Halter is also set to build an 8,000m3 capacity ATB for Q-LNG, which will be a scaled-up version of the smaller bunker vessel, with the same design features. “Our facility is capable of supporting multiple building programmes at any one time,” said Mr Socha. This Pascagoula shipyard has direct 9-nautical mile, unobstructed deepwater access to the Gulf of Mexico. It can process more than 40,000 tonnes of steel per year. Operations facilities cover more than 331,800 m2 with the main undercover fabrication and assembly buildings covering 68,500 m2. These areas are dedicated to cutting, shaping, fabricating, assembling, erecting and inspecting large construction modules and assembly blocks. The operations facilities also have a blast and paint facility and more than 3,420 m2 of warehouse space for storing and
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“Evening Breeze is scheduled for delivery in Q1 2019 and Evening Stroll in Q1 2020”
distributing vessel construction materials. VT Halter’s facilities are equipped with crane and lifting units for single or multicrane lifts. This includes: • A 300-tonne stiff leg derrick located adjacent to Pier C. • Three 165-tonne crawlers (American 9310). • Two 275-tonne crawlers (Sany 2500). • Three 300-tonne crawlers (Manitowoc 2250). • Two 550-tonne crawlers (Sany 5000). • Two 150-tonne barge cranes. The shipyard has multiple options for transferring a fully assembled vessel from land to afloat. The three methodologies most frequently used are side-launch using tilt-beams, end-launch via the launch dock or side-launch using cranes. Other elements that enhance VT Halter’s services are its safety strategies, procedures and training. “To reduce our incident rate, our upper management supports and buys into the safety programme,” said Mr Socha. “Management and production leadership work together to hold frontline supervision accountable and they in turn hold the employees accountable.” The company's safety training includes a five-hour orientation for all employees using various materials including presentations and video. There are weekly safety meetings with toolbox topics covered for different craft and supervisor training is provided. VT Halter also provides specialty training such as forklift, man-lift, overhead crane, fire watch and remedial training.
Growing backlog
Gulf Island Fabrication is prospering from repeat business, strong links with the US Navy and ongoing ATB orders. It has an orderbook that could stretch to 2025 if all options are taken. For example, Gulf Island announced it was awarded an option to build a second towboat for an unnamed owner in August. The first vessel for this order was awarded in May. Both towboats will be built to ABS
rules for US trade with power ratings of 2,460 kW at the shipyard in Houma, Louisiana. The first towboat is due for delivery in mid-2019 and the second two months later. In addition, Gulf Island is building four Z-Tech 30-80 terminal and escort tugs for Bay-Houston Towing and Suderman & Young Towing. These will be fitted with FiFi1 fire-fighting systems and deliveries are due to begin before the end of this year. There are options for two additional Z-Tech tugs that will not be equipped for fire-fighting. Gulf Island also has an order for a new salvage tug for the US Navy. An initial order for the prototype was placed for delivery in 2020 and there are options attached for seven more 43-m tugs, which could maintain employment for the shipyard into 2025. Gulf Island president and chief executive Kirk Meche said the contract backlog “is the largest it has been in four years” at US$347.6M, as of August 2018, including project deliveries through to 2022. This revenue backlog excludes the options on contracts, with a combined value of US$563M, which includes deliveries through to 2025 should all options be exercised. Gulf Island has been rationalising its business by selling underused assets. During Q2 2018, it sold its South Yard in Texas and in September it agreed to sell the North Yard facilities in Aransas Pass, Texas, for US$28M. Mr Meche anticipates more sales of under-utilised assets in the future.
Contracts and orders
Eastern Shipbuilding Group has secured orders for tugs as owners focus on complying with EPA Tier 4 requirements. It gained contracts at the end of May to build ship-handling and escort tugs for Bisso Offshore, a subsidiary of New Orleans-based EN Bisso & Son. These tugs were designed by Robert Allan to a RApport 2400 design and adapted to have Caterpillar Tier 4 main engines. They will be built to ABS class and are set to operate in ports and terminals on the US Gulf coast by 2020. These 24-m tugs will have a bollard pull of around 63 tonnes and top speed of about 12 knots. Eastern Shipbuilding is also building offshore patrol cutters for the US Coast Guard with orders to build up to nine of these vessels, with options for two more. Conrad Industries’ shipyards in Texas and Louisiana have worked on three ATBs this year for Maryland-based Vane
Tug Technology & Business | 4th Quarter 2018
30 | SPECIAL FOCUS Americas
Brothers. Its shipyard in Orange, Texas, built the tug section units, which were designed by Castleman Maritime, while the shipyard in Amelia built the 80,000-barrel capacity barges. The first tug, Assateague, was delivered in February this year and Chincoteague was completed in August, while Wachapreague is due in Q1 2019. Conrad’s Louisiana shipyard is building Kāpena-class tugs for Young Brothers. The first of these, Kāpena Jack Young, was christened in Louisiana in August. It was built to a Damen USA design with General Electric propulsion that meets EPA Tier 4 requirements. Three more of these tugs will be constructed by Conrad for Young Brothers’ operations in Hawaii. Vane Brothers also has newbuilding tugs on order at Chesapeake Shipbuilding, Maryland. This shipyard is constructing four pusher tugs with Caterpillar main engines, conventional shafts, rudders and
flanking rudders. These 28.5-m sister vessels will each have 2,240 kW of power and accommodation for seven seafarers. Chesapeake designed the tugs to have a 10.4 m beam and 3.2 m depth. It has previously built 16 tugs for Vane Brothers. C&C Marine and Repair has built three towboats with one under construction for Marquette Transportation. The first in this series, Cindy L. Erickson, was delivered in February this year. The second, Chris Reeves, followed in May and Jerry Jarrett entered service in September. The four tugs were designed by CT Marine with Cummins QSK60-M main engines and three Steerprop SP25D Z-drive thrusters. This triple Z-drive configuration provides optimal speed, power and manoeuvrability. C&C Marine added suspension to the superstructure and a softcore jointer system to improve comfort for these tugs’ 13 seafarers.
Hansen Boat Co completed an oceangoing tug for Dunlap Towing in July. Sigrid Dunlap has Caterpillar main engines and Nautican propulsion. It was designed by Hockema Whalen Myers and classed by ABS for operations in ports on the US west coast. Nichols Brothers Boat Builders has built a 33-m tug with hybrid propulsion for Baydelta Maritime. This was designed by Jensen Maritime and installed with two Caterpillar C3516 C main engines and Rolls-Royce electric motors and azimuth thrusters. This is due to be delivered in Q1 2019. Metal Shark Alabama, which was formerly Horizon Shipbuilding, is constructing three towboats for Florida Marine Transporters. These 30-m tugs will have Caterpillar 3512C maine engines that will be EPA Tier 3 compliant. The first of these towboats is scheduled to be delivered before the end of 2019, while the rest are due to enter service in 2020.
Software enhances shipyard engineering capabilities VT Halter uses a variety of software for design and engineering to enhance its naval architecture and ship construction. VT Halter Marine senior vice president Robert Socha said the group uses AutoCAD for 2D drafting, ShipConstructor for 3D product modelling and NavisWorks for model viewing, display and analysis. Its engineers can then use Rhino for further 3D modelling and AutoDesk Simulator for finite element analysis of the 3D models. Mr Socha said the shipyard uses ShipWeight for weight
control software and Pipe-Flo for fluid flow analysis, Creative Systems’ General HydroStatics for stability and hydrostatics calculations, Primavera P6 for scheduling and Microsoft Office for documentation and other office software requirements. VT Halter also engages outside design and engineering assistance when required. It is working with Downey Engineering, TAI, Wärtsilä Ship Design and TGE on various construction projects. TTB
US SHIPYARD DELIVERIES 2018 Tug name
Owner
Month
US Navy Middle River Marine
unknown Gwyneth Anne
Type
Builder
Engines
January
harbour
Modutech Marine
Cummins
January
towboat
Cummins Tom Toretti Cindy L Eriksen Assateague Kamryn Olivia
Waterfront Services
January
inland towage
Master Marine
Mitsubishi
Marquette Transportation Co
February
tow tug
C&C Marine
Cummins
Vane Brothers
March
ATB
Conrad
Cummins
Middle River Marine
March
towboat
Waterfront Services
April
inland towage
Master Marine
Mitsubishi
McAllister Towing
May
escort
Horizon
Caterpillar
Marquette Transportation Co
May
harbour
C&C Marine
Cummins
Kirby
July
seagoing ATB
Master Boat
Caterpillar
Dunlap Towing
July
oceangoing
Hansen Boat Co
Caterpillar
Cummins Sam P Hise Rosemary McAllister Chris Reeves Cape Ann Sigrid Dunlap Kāpena Jack Young Jerry Jarrett
Young Brothers
August
oceangoing
Conrad
General Electric
Marquette Transportation
September
inland towage
C&C Marine
Cummins
Deliveries up to 30 September (Source Tug Technology & Business)
Tug Technology & Business | 4th Quarter 2018
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32 | SPECIAL FOCUS Americas
New tugs expand South American towage fleets SAAM Smit Towage has built up a formidable market position in the Brazilian towage sector by adding newbuildings to its fleet, but has increasing competition
S
AAM Smit Towage is completing a newbuilding campaign for its Brazilian fleet during a period of growth in the country. However, it has encountered increasing competition in Brazil and greater uncertainty in the country’s towage sector. Since 2016, SAAM Smit Towage added four new azimuth stern drive (ASD) tugs to boost its fleet to 48 vessels, which operate in 15 ports and terminals along the Brazilian coast. The company is a joint venture between Smit Rebras, part of the Boskalis group, and SAAM group’s TugBrasil. SST Aranã will be the last vessel of the current newbuilding programme when it enters service before the end of this year. It is likely to be the last newbuilding for quite a while for the joint venture company, said SAAM Smit Towage Brasil chief executive Pieter van Stein. He told Tug Technology & Business that SST Aranã is scheduled for delivery in early December 2018 and will operate in Santos port. “After this delivery, we do not have any newbuilding going on,” he said. This newbuilding campaign has increased the supply of tugs in 2016-2018, but so has competition from other towage companies joining the Brazilian market. Mr van Stein said there were market challenges ahead in the country, which has an impact on future initiatives. “With two new towage companies and Brazilian towage market turbulence, this does not sustain any heavy investments in new tugs for the moment,” he said. The latest additions to the fleet were built by Wilson Sons Estaleiros, in Guarujá, Brazil, to a Damen ASD 2411 design. These 24-m tugs come with an 11-m beam and have bollard pulls of around 70 tonnes. SAAM Smit took delivery of the first of these tugs, SST Aimore, in July 2017 and SST Arua in October 2017. Both tugs were
Tug Technology & Business | 4th Quarter 2018
ABOVE: SST Arara was delivered by Wilson Sons in August and has been mobilised in Santos port
SAAM SMIT BRAZIL FLEET BY DELIVERY DATE 2017-2018 4 2015-2016 3 2013-2014 10 2010-2012 4 2007-2009 17 2003-2005 2 2000-2002 4 1990s 4
deployed at oil terminals in Angra Dos Reis. In August this year, SAAM Smit took delivery of a third newbuilding, SST Arara, which was mobilised in Santos port. All four newbuildings have a pair of Caterpillar 3516C engines with a combined power of 4,180 kW and two Schottel SRP1515 azimuthing Rudderpropellers. Damen said these tugs were designed with high manoeuvrability and seakeeping behaviour in mind. SAAM Smit Towage provides harbour towage in 12 main Brazilian ports. From north to south these are detailed on the map oppposite. These tugs serve international shipping clients active in dry bulk (iron ore and agricultural products), liquid bulk (oil, chemicals and juice), container liners and car carriers. SAAM Smit Towage also provides dedicated towage services to the Petrobras oil terminals in Angra dos Reis and Suape
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Americas SPECIAL FOCUS | 33
and the Petrobras LNG terminal in Salvador. TugBrasil has provided towage in Brazil since 2005 and Smit Rebras since 2006. Wilson Sons shipyard is also currently building two Damen-designed ASD 3212 tugs for its own towage company, Wilson Sons Rebocadores. Brazilian towage and offshore vessel owner Starnav Servicos has ordered eight tugs from an affiliate shipyard to expand its national fleet. Starnav has ordered eight tugs from the Detroit Brasil shipyard to operate under the Brazil flag, according to BRL Shipping Consultants. It already operates a fleet of eight tugs for oceangoing and harbour towage. This latest order could double Starnav's capabilities.These will be built over the next 18 months with deliveries set to commence in March 2019. A tug is expected to enter service every three months in succession with the final delivery scheduled for December 2020. The Detroit Brasil shipyard has a history of building tugboats for domestic operators. This year it has built four new tugs for Hamburg Süd subsidiary Aliança Navegação at its shipyard in Itajai, Brazil. These have MTU-Series 4000 main engines supplied by Rolls-Royce. Aliança Navegação operates a fleet of seven harbour tugs, two of which are deployed in São Francisco, in the north of Santa Catarina, and has five tugboats still to be commissioned. Rolls-Royce has been supplying MTUSeries 4000 engines to Detroit Brasil since 2010 for harbour tugs and platform supply vessels, including in the Starnav tugboat fleet.
Paraguay delivery
In Paraguay, the Tsuneishi Shipyard delivered towboat Tebicuary 3 to its owner Navegacion del Sur (Navesur) in June. This towboat was designed with a shallow draught of just 1.8 m to access the Paraguay-Parana Waterway. It has combined power of 4,770 kW derived from engine and generator packages supplied by Cummins. Tebicuary 3 has four Cummins KTA40 engines, each developing 1,190 kW at 1,800 rpm. It also has two Cummins NTA855 gensets, each rated at 240 kVA at 50 Hz, and a 6B CS emergency generator. These have ClassNK certification and C Command electronic controls. Tebicuary 3 has an overall length of 43 m and beam of 18 m. Navesur has started using this tug to push barges along the Paraguay, Parana and Uruguay rivers.
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1
Santana
2
Vila de Conde & Barcarena
3
São Luis – PDM, Itaqui & Alumar
1 tug boat
3 tug boats
6 tug boats 4
Pecém
2 tug boats 5
Suape
4 tug boats (2 dedicated to the Petrobras Oil Terminal) 6
Salvador & Aratu
4 tug boats (2 dedicated to the Petrobras LNG Terminal) 7
Vitória – Tubarão & Praia Mole 4 tug boats
8
Sepetiba - Itaguaí - Porto Sudeste 4 tug boats
9
Angra dos Reis
4 tug boats (dedicated to the Petrobras Oil Terminal) 10
Santos
5 tug boats 11
Paranaguá
12
Itajaí & Navegantes
3 tug boats
13
2 tug boats 13
Rio Grande 2 tug boats
Jamaica deployment
Canadian tug owner Ocean has deployed a fleet of tugs into Jamaica as part of its strategy to expand outside North America. This redeployment was made possible after Ocean signed a 10-year contract with the Port Authority of Jamaica to provide harbour towage services at Kingston Harbour. Ocean mobilised three harbour towage tugs to Newport West in Kingston and created around 40 jobs in the country. It acquired an ASD tug from the Turkish builder, Sanmar, to help cover this concession. Bogacay IX, a RAmparts 2400 SX design tug, was renamed Ocean Kingston Pride. It has a bollard pull of 80 tonnes and top speed of 13 knots. This comes from a pair of 2,350 kW Caterpillar diesel engines driving two Rolls-Royce US 255 CP azimuthing Z-drives. Ocean is pursuing new business in the Caribbean where it has been supporting dredging operations in the Dominican Republic, Barbados and St Kitts. TTB
SST expands Canadian fleet through acquisition Two tugs built in Hong Kong will be mobilised to western Canada to enhance ship escort services in British Columbia. SAAM Smit Towage Canada, a joint venture between Boskalis and Chileheadquartered SAAM, has purchased two escort tugs from Cheoy Lee Shipyards in China. These have been named SST Grizzly and SST Orca and were completed at Cheoy Lee’s Hin Lee shipyard in the first week of October. They are sailing to Vancouver, Canada, to join the local fleet. These were built to a Robert Allan RAstar 3200 design and Lloyd’s Register escort tug class. They have bollard pulls of more than 80 tonnes and top speeds in excess of 13.5 knots.
Tug Technology & Business | 4th Quarter 2018
34 | TERMINAL OPERATIONS
Safeen prepares for Khalifa port expansion Abu Dhabi Marine Services is extending its fleet of harbour and escort tugs as Khalifa Port adds a new container terminal Adil Ahmed Banihammad Adil Ahmed Banihammad has more than 25 years of experience in the marine and ports industry. He is the acting chief marine services officer in Abu Dhabi Ports and is actively involved in the Phase II extension of Khalifa Port. He is also in charge of Safeen, the marine services arm of Abu Dhabi Ports. Previously, Capt Banihammad worked in various navigational companies in senior and executive management positions. He was the port officer in the Supreme Petroleum Council and then harbour master for overseeing petroleum ports in the UAE. He joined Abu Dhabi Ports as chief harbour master in 2009. He has since developed and implemented regulations, ensuring that all ports in UAE are centrally managed and adhere to local laws and global conventions. Capt Banihammad is certified as an unlimited master mariner and has a high national diploma in nautical science from South Tyneside College in the UK.
S
afeen, the marine services arm of Abu Dhabi Ports, is ordering tug newbuildings to support new ports and terminals in the United Arab Emirates. When Tug Technology & Business previously spoke with Safeen in Q3 2017, it operated a fleet of 12 tugs. This will rise to 14 tugboats and several pilot boats by the end of this year. Safeen expects this to grow to 19 tugs by the end of 2019, said acting chief marine services officer Adil Ahmed Banihammad. He explained to TTB in an interview that the existing fleet includes mostly azimuthing stern drive tugs ranging from 20 tonnes to 75 tonnes of bollard pull. It also has one tug with Voith propulsion, three with conventional screw propulsion and a Shoalbuster for multipurpose activities such as pushing, towing and anchor handling in shallow water. New tugs will be added with even greater performance as Safeen prepares to provide marine services to Abu Dhabi Ports’ expansion of Khalifa Port. This includes a container terminal that could manage ships up to Newcastlemax in size when the port opens in 2020, plus more capacity for dry bulk and liquid cargoes. “We will be supplying towage, mooring, berthing, pilotage and marine maintenance in the port and vessel traffic services,” said Capt Banihammad. “We need to be ready with tugs and people before opening these new services.” Safeen is the main provider of towage to ports in Abu Dhabi, but progress on harbour projects in the nation has led to rapid expansion in the last two years. Since Q3 2017, Safeen has added tugs for operations in Mussafah and Zayed ports, which will remain important services.
Tug Technology & Business | 4th Quarter 2018
Safeen's next phase of tugs will be purchased for servicing container terminals, managed by ADT/MSC and COSCO Shipping Ports, in the expanded Khalifa Port. “We have two more tugs with 70 tonnes of bollard pull coming in 2019 and others in the pipeline,” said Capt Banihammad. In October, Safeen purchased two azimuth stern drive (ASD) tugs from Damen Shipyards Group. These ASD 2411 design tugs are being completed by Albwardy Damen shipyard in the UAE. They will operate in the two container terminals and assist ships full of bauxite cargo berthing at an aluminium smelter in Al Taweelah. “We will ensure that we comply with the minimum requirements for the ships coming into Khalifa as some ships will need assistance from two tugs and sometimes three tugs will be needed to handle larger ships,” said Capt Banihammad. The expansion at Khalifa Port will add more container, bulk cargo and roro vehicle transport capacity. This project will add 1,000 m of quay wall to the port and deepen its main channel and basin to 18 m from the current 16 m. The new quay wall will add a further 600,000 m2 for cargo handling. Container ships of up to 20,000 TEU are expected to berth at the port from 2020. “Khalifa Port is a strategic gateway for trade and freight into Abu Dhabi and throughout the wider region,” said Capt Banihammad. “The average size of a vessel has grown by 65% due to economies of scale and we recognise the importance of equipping our ports with the right equipment and logistics to adapt to these changing demands.” Capt Banihammad explained how Safeen chose the types of tug it needed to order for operations in the expanded port: “We looked at tugs that matched the type of vessels and draught available in Khalifa. We then looked at the area of operations, harbour master and port authority requirements and whether fire-fighting and other facilities were needed.” Safeen will apply for licences to operate the tugs and masters in the terminals and harbour from the port authorities, and apply appropriate schedule management to maintain a full presence and prepare for the arrival and departure of different types of ships.
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TERMINAL OPERATIONS | 35
But, Safeen does not want to overcompensate for the requirements and have idle tugs. “We need to keep our tugs busy and to meet the requirements for increasing levels of traffic,” said Capt Banihammad. Safeen is increasingly working with Abu Dhabi National Oil Co (Adnoc), providing towage services for offshore construction and maintenance projects and oil spill response. It is also responsible for providing response to marine emergencies and environmental incidents for the maritime authority. “Our tugs have FiFi fire-fighting and other equipment, so, we are capable of responding to an oil spill in one hour,” said Capt Banihammad. Safeen is also looking outside of the UAE for towage and marine services work. “We are working on some international projects that are in the pipeline,” he said.
Technology commitment
Communications is an important aspect of tug operations in the UAE, which is why Safeen has kitted out its vessels with the latest VHF radio and iPads for masters. Port and vessel movement information can be stored and displayed on iPads, so masters and pilots do not need to waste valuable time obtaining that over radio communications. “Our tug masters and pilots can access information on new vessels, which makes it easier for them to concentrate on vessel movements,”
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said Capt Banihammad. Tugs can be linked to the intelligent port communications system and the Maqta Gateway digital platform Abu Dhabi Ports operates. This digital platform is for exchanging information and improving transparency of port operations. Its customers, including cargo owners and shipping companies, can use Maqta Gateway’s port community system for managing shipments, export and import operations. Maqta Gateway’s port community system supports intelligent maritime services across all aspects of port operations. Safeen’s inhouse application system, called MARSA, connects with Maqta Gateway. MARSA is a scheduling and operating management system for tracking and monitoring operations, maintenance and quality management. In 2017, Safeen ordered and took delivery of two Yenicay-class 18.7-m ASD tugs from Sanmar, each with 32 tonnes of bollard pull. They were built to Robert Allan’s RAscal 1800 design of harbour tugs. These have two Caterpillar C32 main engines that each generates 969 kW of power at 1,800 rpm driving Veth VZ-900 azimuthing stern thrusters, pushing these tugs to a top speed of 12 knots. Safeen began operating a new 19-m conventional twin screw vessel it purchased from Damen Shipyards early this year. This was built to a Damen Stan Tug design and has a bollard pull of 28 tonnes. TTB
“Khalifa Port is a strategic gateway for trade and freight into Abu Dhabi and throughout the wider region”
Artist impression of two ASD 2411 design tugs Safeen will operate in Khalifa port
Tug Technology & Business | 4th Quarter 2018
36 | TERMINAL OPERATIONS
LNG on the menu for terminal tugs Dual-fuelled tug construction in Singapore, Japan and China highlights an exciting trend in terminal tugboat design and operations
KST Liberty is similar to Keppel Smit Towage's Maju Loyalty but with less bollard pull
L MAJU LOYALTY PARTICULARS Owner: Maju Maritime Builder: Keppel Singmarine Designer: Keppel O&M Area of operations: Singapore Type: terminal/harbour tug Length, oa: 32 m Beam, moulded: 12.50 m Bollard pull: 73 tonnes Main engines: 2 x Niigata 6L28AHZ-DF Power: 1,920 kW at 800 rpm Fuel: containerised LNG tanks Bunker services: FueLNG
Tug Technology & Business | 4th Quarter 2018
iquefied natural gas (LNG) is playing an increasingly important role in terminal tug design and operations as national and port authorities raise their environmental requirements. Terminal operators are driven by growing government and public concerns over port pollution to consider dual-fuelled tugs to support ship manoeuvring, escorting and handling services. This has led to tugboat owners adding vessels to their fleet with engines that mainly run on gas, with diesel for piloting and as a back-up. Some of the latest LNGfuelled tugs have been built and delivered in south and east Asia. With this background, Keppel Offshore & Marine (O&M)’s shipbuilding arm, Keppel Singmarine, completed its second dual-fuel tug for operations in Singapore in September. Maju Loyalty is an azimuth stern drive (ASD) tug for Maju Maritime, a joint venture between Keppel and Royal Boskalis Westminster.
Maju Loyalty was designed by Keppel O&M for terminal and harbour operations in the busy ports around Singapore. It has an overall length of 32 m, breadth of 12.5 m and bollard pull, ahead and static, of 73 tonnes. Its propulsion and power comes from a pair of Niigata 6L28AHZ-DF dualfuel engines. These each develop 1,920 kW of power at a speed of 800 rpm driving two steerable and azimuthing fixed-pitch propellers. This is the second dual-fuel tug Keppel Singmarine has delivered for Singapore operations this year. In May, it handed over LNG-fuelled tug KST Liberty to Keppel Smit Towage, a sister company to Maju Maritime. This is also an ASD tug for terminal and harbour operations with 65 tonnes of bollard pull. Keppel said both tugs deliver economical operations, efficient fuel consumption, a simplified bunkering process and enhanced safety and comfort.
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TERMINAL OPERATIONS | 37
The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore provided co-funding of up to S$2M (US$1.46M) for each tug as part of its LNG bunkering pilot programme grant. These dual-fuel tugs are equipped with containerised, type-C ISO-certified LNG tanks on the main deck. They also have a patented, compact and cost-effective LNG vaporiser. The LNG tanks can be refuelled by truck-to-ship operations or by replacing the empty tanks with replenished ones. Shell Eastern Petroleum and Keppel O&M have formed a joint venture, FueLNG, for LNG bunkering services to be conducted at Jurong Port. These services will be offered to other gas-fuelled vessels in Singapore. There are likely to be more LNGfuelled tugs built in Singapore as Maju Maritime and Keppel Smit Towage managing director Romi Kaushal indicated there was a drive to reduce sulphur, nitrogen and carbon gaseous emissions within these tugboat fleets. “It is a step in the right direction as the industry adjusts to IMO’s global cap of 0.5% on the sulphur content of marine fuel,” he said. “This [Maju Loyalty] project is a testament to Keppel’s innovation and reliability, and we look forward to furthering this partnership,” he added. Maju Maritime and Keppel Smit Towage provide harbour assistance, marine support and coastal towage services with a combined fleet of more than 70 vessels.
Japan projects
Japan has also become a leader in LNG-fuelled tug construction projects. Mitsui OSK Lines has two dual-fuel tugs under construction at Japan’s Kanagawa Dockyard Co. The first is scheduled for completion in February 2019 and the second tugboat is expected to commence operations in April 2019. These will be operated by Nihon TugBoat Co with the LNG fuel supplied by Osaka Gas. They will be the first LNGfuelled vessels, outside of gas carriers, to be constructed in Japan to the international code of safety for ships using gases or other low-flashpoint fuels (IGF Code). Construction of the tugs was on schedule in September when Yanmar announced it had delivered two 6EY26DF dual-fuel main engines for the first tug. Yanmar also received orders for the LNG fuel tanks, buffer tanks and gas combustion devices that will be part of the gas fuel feed systems for the engines. In June, Yanmar diesel engine design director Yohei Kamata told Tug Technology & Business that it was progressing with engineering for these engines. Yanmar’s dual-fuel engine uses diesel as a pilot and as a back-up to natural gas. The 6EY26DF engine has a shaft output of around 1,500 kW, while the larger alternative, 8EY26DF engine generates about 2,050 kW of power. Both achieve this performance at running speeds of 750 rpm. When using natural gas, Yanmar said
these engines emit 80% less NOx, 99% less sulphur and particulate matter and 25% less CO2 than conventional diesel engines.
Chinese innovation
China is also progressing with LNG-fuelled tug construction with four in operation and a fifth under construction at Jiangsu Zhenjiang Shipyard. This latest newbuilding will be built to a Robert Allan RAstar 3800DF tug design for completion in 2019. It will be an ASD tug for operations by Ningbo Zhoushan Port Co. It will have a pair of Niigata 8L28AHX dual-fuel engines, each driving a Rolls-Royce US 255 controllable pitch Z-drive. When this tugboat is delivered, it will have a bollard pull of around 80 tonnes and LNG storage capacity of 55 m³ (TTB, Q3 2018). Last year, Statoil started using three LNG-fuelled tugs at its production terminal in Hammerfest, Norway. Dux, Pax and Audax are operated by owner Østensjø Rederi in Arctic conditions year-round to escort LNG carriers into and out of the terminal in temperatures down to -20˚C. These were built by Astilleros Gondán in Spain to a Robert Allan RAstar 4000DF design and Bureau Veritas classification with Wärtsilä dual-fuel engines. They can achieve a maximum free-running speed of 15 knots and can produce up to 107 tonnes of bollard pull for manoeuvring LNG carriers in the Arctic.
Panfido orders LNG bunkering tug-barge combination Rimorchiatori Riuniti Panfido has ordered a tug and pontoon barge combination for supplying LNG and marine gas oil fuel along the Italian coast of the Adriatic Sea.
Sener designed the LNG bunkering tug and pontoon unit for Rimorchiatori Riuniti Panfido
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This unit will include an LNG-fuelled tractor tug that will tow a non-propelled pontoon to supply LNG and diesel to ships in the region around Venice, Italy.
Spanish naval architects SENER designed the tug and pontoon. The tug will be built for towing, escorting, rescue, supply and salvage operations, be propelled by Voith thrusters and have a bollard pull of 60 tonnes. It will be equipped with FiFi 1 firefighting system with twin monitors, with a small deck crane and winches on the fore and aft decks for towage. The pontoon barge will have capacity to hold 4,000 m³ of LNG and 1,000 m³ of marine diesel oil cargo. It will have a loading arm and two large tyre-based cylindrical fenders on both port and starboard sides for bunker operations, four large LNG cargo tanks on the deck and a gas boil off management system. This project is cofunded by the European Union through the Poseidon MED II programme. TTB
Tug Technology & Business | 4th Quarter 2018
38 | PROPULSION
Hybrid package is a leap ahead in propulsion technology Caterpillar Marine is supplying complete propulsion packages including main engines, thrusters and hybrid systems to a growing number of tug newbuilding projects
C
aterpillar Marine has seen growing interest from tug owners and shipyards for its integrated solutions for green and economic propulsion. The first two tugs with full Caterpillar suites – Dr Hank Kaplan and Rich Padden – entered service in 2017. The first tug with a complete hybrid Caterpillar package is scheduled to enter service in Q1 2019. Caterpillar Marine tug and salvage segment manager Jörgen Karlsson told Tug Technology & Business that tugs with a complete Caterpillar propulsion package are more efficient than those with main engines and thrusters supplied by separate manufacturers. Owners can achieve even more efficiencies by including hybrid propulsion technology. “Hybrid systems use less fuel, are more economic and have lower maintenance than conventional propulsion systems in operational profiles with many different load points,” said Mr Karlsson.
Harley's tug Dr Hank Kaplan was the first to have a full Caterpillar propulsion package
Tug Technology & Business | 4th Quarter 2018
He explained that Caterpillar can identify the most efficient system and recommend if it should be a hybrid or conventional propulsion using a Cat Select program to review anticipated tug operating profiles, fuel maps and thruster propulsion curves. “It depends on owner requirements and on price, but we expect there will be more hybrid tugs ordered in the future,” said Mr Karlsson. Hybrid tugs can meet the stringent emissions regulations of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s Tier 3, Tier 4, and IMO Tier III requirements. The overall result is a reduction in NOx and SOx and CO2 emissions. “There is demand for hybrid solutions, as they make a lot of sense,” said Mr Karlsson. Hybrid propulsion prices remain higher than conventional propulsion, but there are operational efficiency advantages, depending on the operating profile of the tug. “Harbour tugs operate on a lower engine profile 80% of the time,” said Mr Karlsson. They only operate with significant engine loads 10-20% of their operating time and rarely during maximum bollard pull. This means tugs can operate in an electric mode using only gensets and power take in (PTI) motors with main engines shut down during most of their operating life, for example during standby or during transits and even during some ship manoeuvring. To achieve this, PTI motors are fitted to the thrusters. “When running in transit with PTI motors, tugs can achieve 8-9 knots without the need for the main engines,” said Mr Karlsson. Caterpillar’s hybrid propulsion system includes main engines, thrusters, gensets, switchboards, frequency drives, PTI motors, booster drives and controls. As an example, smaller main engines are used in combination with a PTI booster motor to get the same performance compared to a conventional system using a larger main engine, such as a 3512E engine generating 1,900 kW with a 600 kW booster instead of a 3516E that develops 2,525 kW. In the wheelhouse, there would be propulsion controls and a panel with pre-installed operating modes including one for economic operations, another for transit and one for power required for higher bollard pull requirements. US shipyard Washburn & Doughty Associates is building two tugs – named Tug Ralph and Capt Robb – with full
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PROPULSION | 39
CONVENTIONAL VS HYBRID Tug bollard pull
Prop type
conventional power
hybrid power
booster motor
80 tonne
MTA 628
60 tonne
MTA 524
3516 at 2,525 kW
3512 with 1,901 kW
600 kW
3516 at 1,920 kW
3512 with 1,500 kW
400 kW
TUG PACKAGE WITH HIGH-SPEED ENGINES Type prop/engine
Jörgen Karlsson: "We expect there will be more hybrid tugs ordered in the future”
diameter (m)
prop type
power (kW)
thrust (tonne)
MTA 318/C32
1.85
FP
1081
33-35
MTA 420/3512
2.05
FP
1500
44-47
MTA 524/3512
2.4
CP/FP
1902
60-62
MTA 524/3516
2.4
CP/FP
1920
61-63
MTA 627/3516
2.7
CP/FP
2525
79-82
MTA 628/3516
2.8
CP/FP
2525
80-84
Caterpillar hybrid propulsion packages for owner Harbor Docking & Towing. These are under construction at the shipyard in East Boothbay, Maine, for operations in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Caterpillar is providing a stem-to-stern hybrid propulsion system that includes 3512E main engines, C18 generator sets, a C7.1 generator set, shaft lines, MTA 628 fixed pitch azimuth drives, booster motors, variable frequency drives, switchgear, and controls. Both vessels will be built with FiFi 1 fire-fighting systems installed. A decision to invest in a hybrid system was taken after a Cat Select study that compared propulsion system options against actual engine load history data from Harbor Docking & Towing’s existing vessels. Smaller engines were selected for the new tugs: 3512E engines will be used instead of 3516E engines and larger gensets will be installed. Caterpillar successfully tested the azimuth thrusters and hybrid system and sent them to the shipyard in August. There are booster motor inputs on the aft side of the Z drives to enable the thrusters to take in power from the main engines and/or the electric motors. Mr Karlsson said this hybrid propulsion system would yield substantial maintenance cost savings, reduce fuel consumption and lower emissions. Harbor Docking & Towing expects Tug Ralph to be delivered in March 2019 and Capt Robb to enter service in June 2019.
Conventional propulsion
Caterpillar’s conventional and integrated propulsion system may not have the same low fuel consumption as the hybrid system, but is still cost efficient and has the benefit of all the equipment being supplied by one manufacturer, said Mr Karlsson. “We already have a high market share in supplying tug engines, so, we developed azimuth thrusters for a fully integrated propulsion system,” he said. There are options across the stem-to-stern MTA system including the choice of main engine. Owners can install Cat high-speed, MaK medium-speed diesel or dual-fuel, or ElectroMotive Diesel medium-speed two-stroke engines with selective
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catalytic reduction (SCR) units for EPA Tier 4 and IMO Tier III compliance if required. Main engines can power MTA azimuth thrusters of various sizes for harbour and terminal tugs. There are fixed pitch or controllable pitch versions with nozzles optimised for bollard pull operations. Also included in this MTA package are generator sets, fire pumps and C32 engine, Cat Connect for monitoring condition and performance of engineroom machinery and a control system that interfaces with an autopilot and dynamic positioning, with a panel for controlling the clutch and thruster. The shaft arrangement can either include a solid rod or tube shaft in steel or composite materials. Mr Karlsson said Caterpillar made some innovative adjustments during the design of this system: “We took some of the features from the thruster and installed it on the engine, such as the engine mounted clutch.” There is built-in power on the azimuth thruster and a power take-off device unique to this package. Apart from the maintenance and fuel efficiency benefits, there are also advantages to the tug builder. “Our target for the whole concept was to reduce installation time for the shipyard,” said Mr Karlsson. The first two tugs with Caterpillar’s MTA propulsion package were built for Harley Marine by Diversified Marine in Portland, Oregon. They were built to a Robert Allan RAmparts 2400 design as 24-m tractor tugs with 70 tonnes of bollard pull. They are equipped with two 3516C marine propulsion engines, which each delivers 1,920 kW of power at 1,600 rpm, and a pair of MTA 524-T azimuth thrusters, each with a 240-cm diameter propeller. Mr Karlsson said there will be more tugs built with a full suite of Caterpillar propulsion as Diversified Marine shipyard is building a tug with this package for Brusco Tug & Barge. Additionally, Caterpillar is also in co-operation with Sanmar and Robert Allan to build and test Advance Variable Drive (AVD) technology. “We will deliver complete Caterpillar packages with engines, gensets, AVD gearbox, MTA 627 thrusters and control system interface,” said Mr Karlsson. “The first vessel will be ready for trial during H1 2019.” TTB
Tug Technology & Business | 4th Quarter 2018
40 | PROPULSION
Combining LNG and hybrid cuts emissions and opex Wärtsilä is investigating how to merge dual-fuel engines with hybrid propulsion technology to lower operating expenditure and emissions from tugs
Donato Agostinelli Capaldo: “It takes support from stakeholders to promote hybrid and/or LNG for lower emissions”
T
ugboats could be built with both LNG and hybrid propulsion systems to minimise their gaseous emissions in ports. More than five tugs are being built worldwide with dual-fuel engines (see page 36) and at least another five with hybrid propulsion systems, but none with both. There is considerable extra cost in a tug construction project if LNG fuel is chosen – thought to be around US$3M depending on the project – instead of conventional dieselmechanical or diesel-electric propulsion. But, there is a lower additional cost for installing hybrid power units. As owners and port authorities realise what the operational benefits are, orders for tugs with these types of propulsion will come. Wärtsilä business development manager for offshore and special vessels Donato Agostinelli Capaldo believes there will also be demand for tugs with both LNG and hybrid propulsion. Wärtsilä is looking at ways of combining them on one vessel for fuel and operational efficiency. “There is a large cost jump from conventional propulsion to LNG, and a gap between conventional propulsion and hybrid,” said Mr Capaldo. “But, there is only a small change going from LNG to LNG with hybrid. There would be substantial benefits with little extra cost,” he told Tug Technology & Business. Wärtsilä has supplied dual-fuel engines for LNG-fuelled tugs, such as a pair for an LNG tug under construction for PSA Marine, and propulsion for an LNG articulated tug-barge unit for Quality LNG Transport (Q-LNG)’s bunkering services in the US. It has also supplied HYTug design and propulsion for a hybrid icebreaking escort tug under construction for the Port of Luleå in Sweden. Mr Capaldo said the Q-LNG project was driven by the need to provide LNG fuel on ships in the US and to meet Tier 4 requirements from the US Environmental Protection Agency. Stringent environmental rules could push more owners into ordering LNG-fuelled and hybrid propulsion tugs. But, the drive should also come from the port authorities and charterers, Mr Capaldo thinks. “It takes support from stakeholders
Tug Technology & Business | 4th Quarter 2018
“There is only a small change going from LNG to LNG with hybrid and there would be substantial benefits”
to promote hybrid and/or LNG for lower emissions,” he explained. “The benefits and gains take time to be accounted for on the balance sheet..., so we need to bridge this gap. There needs to be financial incentives so that we all can benefit.” There are both environmental and commercial benefits to owners and charterers from LNG and hybrid. Tugs have operational profiles with huge variations in power requirements. “Tugs can be idling in port, transiting at speeds of 5-7 knots, pushing at low power, or towing at medium power and perhaps at maximum power for a short time,” said Mr Capaldo. “We can integrate different power systems and balance them effectively with the best combination for a tug’s operating profile,” he continued. This leads to less maintenance and cylinder running hours, lower fuel and reduced gaseous emissions. “Hybrid systems improve the overall performance of tugs, as they have a wide range of operating modes,” Mr Capaldo explained. “Some with very high loads for a small amount of time, others with very low loads for long periods of time.” Tug owners and port authorities mainly focus on meeting maximum bollard pulls and sailing speeds when choosing design and propulsion. “This creates systems that are optimised for the maximum performance,” he continued. “In reality, these operating modes are rarely used, so the systems operate off-design for most of the time, increasing fuel, emissions and maintenance costs.” Hybrid propulsion enables owners to have different optimal settings when integrating engines with batteries and charging. By integrating with dual-fuel engines, owners can also have different emission settings. TTB
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03-10-18 12:39
PROPULSION | 43
Workboat engines unveiled for stringent emission controls
E
ngine manufacturers used the SMM exhibition in Hamburg, Germany, in September to reveal new engines for efficient workboats and tugs operating in areas of strict emissions regulations. Cummins unveiled an environmental engine series for tugs, offshore and passenger vessels and workboats. Its QSK60 engine package has been certified to comply with IMO Tier III emissions requirements when connected to a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) aftertreatment system to eliminate nitrous oxides. Cummins also introduced the X15 engine at Tier II level for vessels operating in inland waterways. QSK60 Tier III four-stroke diesel engines can also be used as an auxiliary system and generator set, said Cummins segment leader for commercial marine Eddie Brown. This V-16 cylinder engine series will be available in a power range of 1,491-2,013 kW with torque between 990-1,357 Nm. It has Cummins’ modular common-rail fuel system, a counterclockwise facing flywheel, turbocharger and aftercooler. Mr Brown focused on the SCR’s flexibility and lifetime in an SMM presentation. He said that when a ship is in emission control areas the SCR is turned on to be Tier III compliant, but, “outside these areas the master can halt the urea as QSK60 is IMO Tier II-compliant without any exhaust by-pass.” He added that existing QSK60 engines can be retrofitted with an SCR to become Tier III-compliant. “There has been additional demand for Tier III engines, so, we are getting in front of the regulations,” said Mr Brown. “This is the first of a number of engines we are certifying for IMO III.” He told Tug Technology & Business that Cummins is working with the US
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Engine manufacturers unveiled new products for tugs, workboats and passenger vessels that comply with more stringent emissions legislation
Eddie Brown: “QSK60 is the first of number of engines that we are certifying for IMO III”
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to secure approval that QSK60 engines are Tier 3-compliant. “We are also working on getting them approved for EPA Tier 4,” he said. Cummins’ selected SCR for QSK60 Tier III would be fully serviceable, meaning the Vanadium-based catalysts can be removed without special tools and easily replaced when needed, said Mr Brown.
Cummins anticipates the catalyst life would match the engine life until a periodic overhaul, which would minimise downtime. The catalyst can tolerate up to 5,000 ppm of sulphur in fuel, so that workboat operators will not need to change the quality of fuel they use. Mr Brown said the capacity and power of the QSK60 would depend on the type of vessel and requirements. QSK60 engines are already in use in Tier II on high-speed passenger vessels, smaller car carrying ferries, offshore support vessels, tugs and crewboats. For example, azimuth stern drive (ASD)-tug, Brutus, which started operating in Buenos Aries, Argentina, in 2016, has QSK60 Tier II engines that each generates 2,013 kW of power at 1,900 rpm. This 28.8-m vessel has 75 tonnes of bollard pull and a maximum speed of 12 knots. QSK60 Tier III engines are suitable for tugs with bollard pulls of 60-80 tonnes “depending on the drive line and naval architecture of the tug,” Mr Brown said. QSK60 Tier II engines are also installed on platform support vessels and crewboats operated by Seacor and Bordelon. In addition, Cummins has introduced the X15 marine engine platform for commercial marine applications. It is designed to withstand continuous highspeed daily operations with variable and fixed speed ratings of 330-447 kW. “X15 will be cost efficient for customers, come in a compact package and have best-in-class
Tug Technology & Business | 4th Quarter 2018
44 | PROPULSION
power density,” said Mr Brown. Initially X15 will meet IMO Tier II and EPA Tier 3 requirements. Mr Brown expects the engines of this platform to be used for crewboats, fishing vessels, patrol boats and other workboats. The first installation of a Cummins X15 is on a crewboat in Louisiana, US, where it replaced a non-Cummins engine. “Feedback from the field tests on the crewboat in the US is positive,” said Mr Brown. “The owner is happy with the power. It has gone from being the slowest boat in the fleet to the fastest and most powerful.” More applications for X15 will be coming in H1 2019. “We will look at expanding the power ratings for X15 for small harbour tugs and working barges – this will be a phased approach,” said Mr Brown. X15 uses the latest Cummins XPI fuel system while the common-rail system provides high injection pressures for efficient fuel burning, clean emissions and optimised consumption. Cummins will also offer engine control module CM2350 to provide engine monitoring and diagnostics capabilities and an automated engine shutdown to prevent any catastrophic failures. CM2350 is linked to sensors that monitor fuel consumption, gear pressure and temperature. This module has digital engine start/stop functionality.
QSK60 PARTICULARS Engine manufacturer: Cummins IMO: Tier II and Tier III Cylinder: V-16 Power range: 1,491-2,013 kW Torque range: 990-1,357 Nm Fuel: diesel, modular common rail Additional: turbocharger, SCR, aftercooling Bore & Stroke: 159 X 190 mm Displacement: 60.2 l Overall length: 329 cm Overall width: 175.5 cm Overall height: 241.5 cm Weight: 8,750 kg Based on Tier II
Dimensions may vary based on selected engine configuration
Tug Technology & Business | 4th Quarter 2018
QSK60 Tier III will be available in a power range of 1,491-2,013 kW
SMM propulsion launches
Moteurs Baudouin introduced its latest four-stroke diesel engine that complies with IMO Tier III and EPA Tier 4 requirements. This version of Baudouin’s I2 M263 engine comes with an SCR to minimise NOx emissions. This 12-cylinder engine has direct fuel injection and a power range of 883 kW at 1,800 rpm to 1,214 kW at 2,300 rpm. It has a common-rail fuel system, displacement of 32.8 l and a counterclockwise facing flywheel. Baudouin said its SCR was designed so that its maintenance was in line with the engine’s overhaul period. It said this is a cleaner engine than its predecessors with up to 2% reduction in average fuel consumption and up to 25 dB noise reduction without affecting the power output. Anglo Belgian Corp unveiled a hybrid propulsion system to accompany its main engines. It has concluded co-operation agreements with several partners to provide a package that includes main engines, generator sets, power management systems and alternative power sources. Its main product range includes six- and eight-cylinder inline engines and 12- and 16-cylinder V-engines. Scania presented the latest addition to its engine range for workboats, a V8 engine with 850 kW of power in a 13-l or 16-l capacity for lower emissions. Scania has developed an aftertreatment system for this series of engines to comply with IMO Tier III requirements.
Its 13-l Tier III engine has a power range of 257-405 kW, or 269-426 kW at 50 Hz as an auxiliary. Scania is developing methods of introducing hybrid propulsion technology to supplement its main engines for workboats.
Gearing up
Finland-based integrated gearbox manufacturer, Katsa Oy, introduced its L350 range of slimline gearboxes. These have multiple power take-off solutions and the ability to distribute power from other sources, such as an electric motor. This gearbox can be installed vertically or horizontally and is class-approved by Lloyd’s Register. L350 has maximum power of 1,200 kW, maximum speed of 4,000 rpm and gear ratios of 0.5 to 2.0. There are twin clutch and hydraulic clutch options to control the take-up of power. There is also an intermediate shaft, allowing the output shaft rotation to be reversed. The gearbox can be connected to the Katsa digitalisation package, which ranges from a simple two-signal output to a foursignal output. In other news, Mitsubishi engines have been installed on a tug operated by Vidalia Dock & Storage in Louisiana, US, in a repower project. Laborde Products provided two fully mechanical Mitsubishi S6R-Y3MPTAW engines that comply with EPA Tier 3 on Sonny J tug. These engines come with Twin Disc 7:1 transmissions. TTB
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46 | TUGS OF THE YEAR
A year of tug innovation A round-up of the most innovative and technically advanced tugs delivered since the beginning of this year demonstrates the technology jumps by designers and builders
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his year has seen the biggest leaps in tugboat technology deployment for a generation. Some of these developments have been in reaction to a growing trend to improve the environmental footprint of tugs in harbours worldwide. Other technology advances have come from a drive to improve crew safety during towage operations, or to enhance the stability of tugboats at higher bollard pulls. There has also
Carrousel RAVE Novatug revolutionised towage technology this year when its first Carrousel RAVE tugs came into service. Multratug 32 and Multratug 33 are operated by Multraship Towage & Salvage in Antwerp, Belgium, and Bremerhaven, Germany, each with a carrousel towing system that revolves around the wheelhouse. They have Voith Turbo inline propulsion for manoeuvrability and for dynamic towage to escort oncoming ships into harbours and terminals instead of just static towage. “Capsizing should be impossible when towing with the carrousel system,” said Novatug managing director Julian Oggel. “This allows for the safe execution of manoeuvres that would be a higher risk with traditional tugs.” Multratug 32 started trials in January this year and Multratug 33 joined the Multraship fleet in April. These have an overall length of about 32 m and 77 tonnes of bollard pull. They are designed by Robert Allan and classed by Bureau Veritas. Their hulls were built at the Theodor Buschmann shipyard in Hamburg in 2017, and the tugs were completed at Damen Maaskant in Stellendam, the Netherlands. They each have two Voith Schneider propellers arranged in-line, which means they can have a slender hull without affecting stability. These Voith 32RV5 EC/250 propellers have precise thrust control, quick response and insensitivity to variations in inflow direction. They enable the towline force to be continuously controlled safely and precisely via Voith electronic joystick controls in the wheelhouse. These Voith Schneider units are driven by two ABC 12VDZC engines, each rated at 2,650 kW at 1,000 rpm. At the heart of these tugs is a patented
Tug Technology & Business | 4th Quarter 2018
been a reaction to the rising costs of building more advanced and powerful tugs with at least one unit built for low-cost harbour operations. Here is a round-up of the most innovative and technically advanced tugs that have entered service in 2018. They are in no particular order, but represent the main categories of innovative design and construction.
Multratug 32 has a rotating winch and two Voith in-line propellers for dynamic towage
carrousel system, which is a towing winch on a steel ring. Machinefabriek Luyt delivered the carrousel unit, which consists of a base structure surrounded by a ring that can rotate freely 360˚ in the horizontal plane around the tug’s deckhouse. This carries a towing winch that can tilt vertically 45˚ so that the winch can always be aligned with the towing line, providing optimal control. Mr Oggel said these tugs have demonstrated improved safety in towage for escort and harbour operations. “There are advantages in less fuel and emissions as these tugs use the kinetic energy from ship motion for manoeuvring,” he said. “They increase capacity at existing ports for handling ships with more control and without affecting the safety margins.” Since introducing the large 32-m Carrousel RAVE tugs, Robert Allan and Novatug have developed a medium-sized design that has an overall length of 28 m and bollard pull of about 50 tonnes.
MULTRATUG 32 PARTICULARS Design: Carrousel RAVE Built: January 2018 Builder: Damen Shipyards Owner: Novatug (Multraship) Class: Bureau Veritas Length, oa: 32 m Beam, oa: 13.2 m Draught: 6.3 m Displacement: 494 tonnes Bollard pull: 77 tonnes Maximum speed: 14 knots Main engines: 2 x ABC 12VDZC Propulsion: 2 x Voith 32RV5 EC/250
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TUGS OF THE YEAR | 47
Damen’s Innovation INNOVATION PARTICULARS Design: RSD 2513 Built: April 2018 Builder: Damen Shipyards Class: Bureau Veritas Length, oa: 25 m Beam, oa: 13 m Draught: 5.5 m Displacement: 525 tonnes Bollard pull ahead: 75 tonnes Bollard pull astern: 71 tonnes Speed ahead: 13 knots Speed astern: 12.8 knots Main engines: 2 x MTU 4000 series M63L Propulsion: Rolls-Royce US255 thrusters
Damen Shipyards unveiled a new design of tug for harbour towage and ship manoeuvring in tight areas in Q2 2018 when tug Innovation was put through its trials. It is Damen’s first reversed stern drive (RSD) tug and Tug Technology & Business witnessed its capabilities during a demonstration in Southampton, UK, in June. This design combines elements of azimuth stern drive (ASD) and tractor tugs. It has a patented twin-fin skeg and the ability to tow ships ahead or astern. Innovation was built by Damen to an RSD Tug 2513 design. The 25-m tug has a bollard pull of 75 tonnes ahead and 71 tonnes astern. Its 13-m beam is wider than other tugs of this size, while its 5.5-m draught enables it to assist ships in most harbours. A spokeswoman for Damen said Innovation, which has a maximum speed ahead of 13 knots, was operating in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, for a tug owner. Damen has built a second RSD 2513 design tug with propulsion compliant with IMO Tier III requirements. Bis Viridis is operating for a test period for the Port of Antwerp in Belgium. Damen can also build a version with hybrid propulsion and has a fully engineered and classapproved design for an RSD 2513 tug that could be fuelled by compressed natural gas. Innovation has a higher freeboard than is usual on a tugboat of this size, which enhances safety and stability. It is propelled by a pair of RollsRoyce MTU 4000 series M63L main engines that each produces 2,240 kW of power at 1,800 rpm. These drive Rolls-Royce US255 thrusters with 2.7-m diameter propellers. Additional power comes from two Caterpillar C4.4TA generator sets that produce 81 kVA at 50 Hz frequency. Deck equipment on Innovation includes a
Damen built Innovation to an RSD 2513 design
hydraulic towage winch that has a split drum and can deliver a pull of 31 tonnes at up to 11 m/min or a reduced pull at up to 38 m/min. It has a 175tonne brake. There is also an electrically driven anchor winch that operates up to 10 m/min and a 360-kg anchor. In the wheelhouse, Furuno Electric supplied radar, echosounder, speedlog, Navtex and automatic identification system equipment. Simrad provided the autopilot and GPS, while Jotron supplied an emergency position indicating radio beacon and a search and rescue transponder. Innovation’s communications is relatively unique for tugs as it has a 60-cm diameter very small aperture terminal supplied by Intellian that operates over Inmarsat’s Global Xpress network. Cobham Satcom supplied two Sailor 6222 VHF radios and Jotron supplied hand-held VHF.
Kotug Smit Buffalo
Jayanegara series
Kotug Smit Towage introduced azimuth tractor drive (ATD) tug Buffalo to its operations in Southampton, UK, in February 2018. This was designed and built by Damen Shipyards. It is a 24.7-m, ATD 2412 design tug with a twin-fin hull and 72 tonnes of bollard pull. Buffalo was built to Lloyd’s Register class as a highly manoeuvrable harbour and escort tug. It has an overall beam of 12.6 m, hull depth of 4.6 m and draught of 5.85 m. In the engineroom, there are two Caterpillar 3516C main engines with a total power of 4,200 kW at 1,600 rpm. These drive two Rolls-Royce, US 255 fixed pitch azimuthing thrusters with 270-cm diameter propellers and built-in slipping clutches. These provide Buffalo with a service speed of 12.5 knots ahead and 12.7 knots astern. Its auxiliary equipment includes two Caterpillar C4.4 gensets that generate 86 kVA at 230/400 V and 50 Hz frequency. These feed an electrically driven anchor winch on the deck. There is also a hydraulically driven aft towing winch with a split drum and 31 tonnes of pulling power.
Pelabuhan Indonesia III (Pelindo III) completed its fleet modernisation in 2018 with the addition of the Jayanegara series of tugs. These 15 tugs are the first to be built to a Robert Allan design for ports in Indonesia. They were built by PT Dumas Tanjung Perak and PT Daya Radar Utama shipyards in Tanjung Priok, Indonesia, to Lloyd’s Register class and RAzer ASD designs. They have a freeboard to ensure a high degree of stability while keeping the superstructure low and well aft to enhance safe working under the flared hulls of ships. These tugs are 29 m in length and have a 12-m beam. They have a draught of 4.6 m and top speed of 12 knots. The most powerful of these has a bollard pull of 60 tonnes and accommodation for 10 seafarers. These were built to a RAzer 2960 design and with a pair of Caterpillar C280-6 main engines, each rated at 1,850 kW at 1,000 rpm. These drive two Schottel SRP 151 Z-drive units. All of these tugs have a fire-fighting system, supplied by FFS. Deck machinery includes a bow-mounted ship-assist hawser winch and an aft tow hook.
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Tug Technology & Business | 4th Quarter 2018
48 | TUGS OF THE YEAR
Sanmar’s Gökçay
Sanmar built Gokcay to a RApport 1600-SX design
GÖKÇAY PARTICULARS Builder: Sanmar Designer: Robert Allan Design: RApport 1600-SX Class: Bureau Veritas Length, oa: 16.3 m Breadth, moulded: 7.4 m Depth, moulded: 3.3 m Draught: 2.7 m Speed: 11.5 knots Bollard pull: 21 tonnes Fuel oil: 15 m3 Crew: 3 people Main engines: 2 x Cat C18, 650 kW
LNG alternative KST LIBERTY PARTICULARS Owner: Keppel Smit Builder: Keppel Singmarine Class: ABS Length, oa: 32 m Breadth, moulded: 12.5 m Depth, moulded: 5.3 m Draught: 5.5 m Speed: 13 knots Bollard pull: 73 tonnes Fuel oil: 140 m3 Crew: 8 people Main engines: 2 x Niigata 6L28AHZ-DF
Sanmar constructed the first of its Gökçay class of tugs in May to an adapted Robert Allan design for a costeffective harbour tug. Gökçay was constructed as the first RApport 1600-SX tug with conventional twin screw propulsion and a bollard pull of 21 tonnes. This 16.3-m and Bureau Veritas-classed tug has a top speed of 11.5 knots. It was designed with stability, manoeuvrability and affordability in mind, in recognition that many harbour operators do not require the high bollard pulls of more expensive tugs. Since May, more of these RApport 1600-SX tugs have been built and sold to owners in the Mediterranean and Black Sea region. Gökçay has
two Caterpillar C18 engines, which each develops 650 kW of power and turns two five-bladed propellers of 145 cm diameter, through Reintjes 5.5:1 reverse and reduction gears. There are twin high aspect ratio rudders fitted behind each nozzle. To maintain stability, Gökçay’s fuel is stored in two wing tanks on port and starboard, which are centrally located to minimise the effect on trim. On the aft deck there is a 25-tonne towhook with an electric-driven winch. The wheelhouse has extra-large windows facing the aft and funnels have a low profile, meaning most of the aft deck is visible to the operator.
In May, the first of two Singapore-built and based LNG-fuelled harbour tugs was brought into service, starting a trend in dual-fuel towage vessels. Keppel Singmarine completed KST Liberty, a 32-m ASD tug for Keppel Smit Towage. A second tug, Maju Loyalty, was delivered in August. (see page 36). KST Liberty was built to Keppel’s own design and to ABS class as a towing and fire-fighting vessel. It has a 12.5-m moulded beam, draught of 5.5 m and capacity to store 140 m3 of fuel oil. Its propulsion provides a top speed of 13 knots and up to 73 tonnes of bollard pull. KST Liberty has two Niigata 6L28AHZ dual-fuel engines that each develops 1,920 kW of power at 800 rpm. These drive two fixed pitch propellers with steerable azimuthing thrusters. This tug’s electrical power comes from two Cumminssupplied generator sets that produce 116 kW of power at 415 V and 50Hz. KST Liberty's fire-fighting system is to FiFi1
class. This includes an engine driven pump with a capacity of 2,900 m3/hr and feeds two remotely controlled monitors, each able to throw 1,200 m³/hr of water up to 120 m in length and 50 m in height. There is also a self-drenching water spray system. KST Liberty’s deck machinery includes a towing winch and windlass on the foredeck. This is a twin drum unit with 200 m of 114-mm diameter rope and brake holding of 163 tonnes. Design and construction of this tug was partially funded up to S$2M (US$1.46M) by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore under its LNG bunkering pilot programme. KST Liberty is equipped with containerised, type-C ISOcertified LNG tanks on the main deck. It also has a patented and compact LNG vaporiser. The LNG tanks can be refuelled by truck-toship operations or by replacing the empty tanks with replenished ones by FueLNG, a joint venture between Keppel and Shell, at Jurong Port.
Tug Technology & Business | 4th Quarter 2018
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TUGS OF THE YEAR | 49
Environmental escorting ROSEMARY MCALLISTER PARTICULARS Owner: McAllister Towing Builder: Horizon Shipbuilding Class: ABS Environmental: EPA Tier 4/ IMO Tier III
Rosemary McAllister was a major addition to McAllister Towing’s fleet and a jump in environmental tractor tug operations. It surpasses the stringent US Environmental Protection Agency’s Tier 4 and IMO Tier III emission regulations. Horizon Shipbuilding constructed this tug to ABS class for an escort, ship-docking and rescue tug with fire-fighting FiFi1 capabilities. Rosemary McAllister started serving ports in Virginia, US, in May 2018. It has an overall length of 30.5 m and a bollard pull of 82.5 tonnes.
Rosemary McAllister has two Caterpillar 3516E Tier 4 engines that each have a selective catalytic reduction after-treatment system for removing nitrogen oxides. Combined, these engines generate 5,050 kW of power and drive two Schottel SRP 4000 fixed Rudderpropeller units. Also in the engineroom there are CAT C7.1 Tier 3 gensets rated at 118 kW and two CAT C18 Tier 3 fire pump engines. On deck there is a Markey class III escort winch on the bow and a Markey 57-mm wire towing winch on the stern.
Length: 30.5 m Breadth: 12.2 m Bollard pull: 82.5 tonnes Main engines: 2 x Cat 3516E Tier IV Propulsion: 2 x Schottel SRP 4000FP Gensets: 2 x CAT C7.1 Tier 3
Rosemary McAllister complies with EPA Tier 4 emission requirements
Other notable deliveries
Paraggi escort
Vittoria Shipyard returned to tug construction and delivered its first harbour towage tug this year. Cap de Fer was built for €7M (US$8M) for the port authority of Skikda in Algeria. It is an ASD escort tug with an overall length of 26 m, a bollard pull of more than 40 tonnes and a top speed of 12 knots. It has a width of 10 m, draught of 3.8 m and displacement of almost 500 tonnes. Cap de Fer is classified by Bureau Veritas and has two semi-fast diesel engines that can develop 2,460 kW of power. Vittoria Shipyard launched an €8M tug in September for the Russian Navy’s nuclear submarine decommissioning operations. Rome-Moscow was built to an ICE2 class certification and has a bollard pull of 64 tonnes. It is due for delivery by December. Macduff Ship Design completed harbour tug Acamar at its Scottish shipyard for Shoreham Port Authority in southern England. This 16-m tug has a hard-chine hullform and a box skeg. It has a speed of 10 knots and will be used for towing, lifting, dredging, pushing and survey work. Shipyard De Hoop completed six tugs for Caspian Offshore Construction in Q2 2018. These were then mobilised for an oilfield construction project in Kazakhstan. This order included four large ASD tugs and two smaller ASD towboats. De Hoop completed the final tug, Otegen Batyr, at the end of May.
Rimorchiatori Riuniti’s affiliate Finarge Armamento Genovese took delivery of a powerful 32.5-m escort tug in Q2 2018. Paraggi is a multipurpose ASD escort tug, built by Turkish shipyard Bogazici to a Cintranaval CND-15231 design. Paraggi has 70 tonnes of bollard pull and a top speed of 13 knots. It has a shallow draught of 4.3 m and a beam of 11.7 m for access to smaller harbours. This tug also has a raised forecastle deck that minimises water coming on to the deck. In the engineroom there are two Caterpillar 3516C type main engines, each delivering 2,100 kW of power at 1,600 rpm. There are two Caterpillar C7.1 gensets that each generates 150 kW of electrical power at 1,500 rpm and 50 Hz, plus there is a smaller harbour genset. Paraggi's ASD capabilities come from two Schottel SRP 1515 controllable pitch and azimuthing propellers, while there is also a 160-kW electric-driven bow thruster for extra manoeuvrability. It has fenders supplied by Yantai Taihong Rubber and deck machinery delivered by Kraaijeveld. Paraggi is equipped with an escort-towing winch, a towing winch and towing hook on the aft deck. It has accommodation for up to 10 people and FiFi1 class fire-fighting system that includes SFP XP pumps and remotely operated monitors. In the wheelhouse, there is bridge equipment supplied by Sperry Marine, Saab, McMurdo, Lilley & Gillie, Martek and Cobham Satcom. TTB
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Tug Technology & Business | 4th Quarter 2018
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BRIDGE TECHNOLOGY | 51
Integrated bridges deliver greater tug performance New models of integrated bridge systems will enhance towage operations, improve situational awareness and lower safety risks
JRC/Alphatron has developed integrated bridge systems for workboats
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uilders of tugs and workboats have new ranges of integrated bridge systems to select from on their latest construction projects. These have simplified architecture, more user-friendly workstations and additional functions for enhanced manoeuvring, towage and transits between ports. The latest bridge technologies were presented to Tug Technology & Business during the SMM exhibition in Hamburg, Germany, in September. During that event, Japan Radio Co ( JRC)'s Alphatron Marine unveiled the ProLine package of bridge equipment for tugboats, intercoastal vessels, workboats and fishing vessels. ProLine was set up as a one-stop-shop for bridge equipment with packages that consist of a full range of mandatory and non-mandatory
equipment, including JRC’s JMA-5200/5300 ProLine radar series. This is available with a non-SOLAS 60-cm radome scanner with a 21-in display or as a European Union-approved radar with a 19-in display and various selectable scanners. ProLine also includes autopilot, echosounder, searchlights, sonar, gyro compasses and a newly designed command chair. All equipment in the ProLine package will be delivered ex-factory and can be integrated with a three-year warranty. This is a development from JRC/Alphatron’s Alphabridge, designed to optimise workboat, offshore vessel and tug wheelhouse operations. ProLine is designed to be operated by one person on the bridge with all electronics and displays within reach of the master. Kongsberg Maritime unveiled its new integrated bridge system that fuses positional and situational sensors together to improve awareness for the navigator. Information is sourced from radar, the automatic identification system (AIS), cameras, sonar, laser and positioning sensors. This delivers a holistic real-time navigational picture to a workboat master, based on precise data from these diverse sensors, said Kongsberg Maritime senior sales manager Roger Trinterud. “Our sensors can characterise an object or calculate if another vessel is heading towards the tug,” he explained. “It will provide navigators with advice and manoeuvring suggestions, which the master can either follow or ignore.” Kongsberg Maritime also introduced an allspeed autopilot that combines traditional autopilot and trackpilot functions and dynamic positioning (DP) into a single, common control. “It will use DP for keeping in a geographic area and then when the throttles are opened up the autopilot function will take over,” Mr Trinterud said. Other functions introduced in this bridge system include automatic docking and soft thruster assist functions to improve safety for critical operations. Kongsberg intends to “rapidly prototype this system for navigation” and offer it to vessel operators before the end of 2019, said Mr Trinterud. “The first generation will give navigators advice and then the next step is for
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52 | BRIDGE TECHNOLOGY
more automatic and remote control of a vessel.” There could then be one human-machine interface for vessel transits, DP, docking and voyage control. Information could also be sent to shore control centres for remote control or monitoring vessel operations. Mr Trinterud said a similar system could be developed for managing simultaneous offshore and towage operations. “Vessel masters could work together and data could be shared over maritime broadband radio for co-operation in towage projects,” he explained. Norwegian Control Systems is developing an integrated navigation system (INS) for workboats and vessels with one master’s chair for monitoring and controlling multiple functions. The company expects Raven INS to be available for newbuilding projects in Q1 2020. It will incorporate multiple wheelhouse electronics, such as radar, ECDIS, autopilot and conning, plus options including sonar, echosounders, voyage data recorders and communications equipment. Raven will also interact with other key systems on the vessel, or tug, for monitoring and control, including propulsion, DP and winches. Norwegian Control Systems master for marine sales and design Ole Husøy said Raven INS will accommodate future requirements for integration, operation and safety. “This is a forward-looking product that will rationalise work on the bridge and make life easier for masters.” This future could include controls for hybrid propulsion and for semi-autonomous tug and workboat operations. Raven may also eventually be used for autonomous vessel operations. Its displays will present information of relevance to the different tasks the vessel performs. All of the functions and applications will be accessible from the operator’s chair, where the main development focus has been on functionality, said Mr Husøy. This could include controlling thrusters or deck equipment. Raven will be a scalable and flexible INS suitable for workboats and megayachts of between 25-150 m in length. Norwegian Control Systems worked alongside Norwegian Electric Systems to develop electric propulsion, automation and navigation systems to be integrated in one vessel.
Enhanced situational awareness
Raytheon Anschütz unveiled its new Synapsis NX integrated bridge system at SMM after improving user interfaces on key equipment, such as radar and ECDIS. It developed new software using the expertise of experienced navigators and specialist user-interface designers, said marketing manager Martin Richter. “We have increased situational awareness
Tug Technology & Business | 4th Quarter 2018
and enhanced the visuals while making features easier to use to reduce the need for familiarisation training,” he said. Synapsis NX is based on modular software operating in graphical user interfaces and includes new features and decision support devices. For example, Raytheon Anschütz introduced integrated target and alert management combining information from radar and AIS. Targets appear consistently on any display and all applications use similar sensor data. Synapsis NX has centralised alert management that reduces the number of alarms that can distract masters. Radar NX has an improved and nondistracting overview that Mr Richter said enables faster interpretation of the radar image. It has functions for optimised target tracking, anti-clutter processing and merging radar images. ECDIS NX has functionality to simplify routines, such as hiding function panels allowing the master to maximise the chart window to support his route monitoring tasks, said Mr Richter. Within ECDIS, route planning is a wizard-guided process and voyage selection tools include interfaces to the ship-shore data exchange. Hatteland Display introduced its latest navigation station and touchscreen monitors at SMM including a new device for controlling the display’s functions. Its navigation station is a 55-in electronic chart or technical table with 4K resolution and a 40-point multi-touchscreen, said sales director Mehdi Bounoua. A new 43-in display has the same resolution and multi-touch functions but for main bridge operations. Hatteland is developing stylus and tactor devices navigators can use with the screens “for moving charts around or turning dials for remote operations,” said Mr Bounoua. These new controller devices are expected to be introduced in 2019.
“Vessel masters could work together and data could be shared over maritime broadband radio for co-operation in towage projects”
Controls development
Also at SMM, Lilaas demonstrated some of its
new controls for tugs and workboats as it works with several bridge system suppliers to develop and customise products for towage applications. It introduced a new azimuth control lever for anchor handling tugs and a joystick for high precision steering. Electronic & Marine Research Industries (EMRI) demonstrated a flexible joystick panel for workboat manoeuvring. This IMJ11 panel can be used for controlling vessel propulsion and comes with various steering module options, including a mini-wheel and joystick. IMJ11 can come with a bracket to make the panel portable. EMRI said IMJ11 displays propulsion information on a central screen and has programmable categories that present the vessel’s status, conning, heading and speed information. TTB
Roger Trinterud (Kongsberg): IBS will deliver a holistic real-time navigational picture
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54 | BRIDGE TECHNOLOGY
Radar revealed for a new generation of workboats Manufacturers of hardware and software for radar have introduced new models and programs to improve target detection, ice navigation and situational awareness
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ridge system manufacturers revealed the latest in radar technology during the SMM exhibition in Hamburg, Germany, in September. This comes at a time when there are greater demands on tugs and workboats to provide safer towage over longer distances and emergency response. Navico introduced a new series of radar for workboats and tugs, fishing vessels, high-speed vessels and coastal shipping with a more advanced processor and interface. Simrad R5000 Series is available in X-band and S-band and with three sizes of antenna. It has a faster processor and new user interface with 24-in and 27-in displays that makes it “easier to operate”, said Navico product line director Mike Fargo at the SMM exhibition in Hamburg, Germany. He told Tug Technology & Business that this radar has “flexible architecture” allowing it to be used with multifunctional workstations and in a multi-radar bridge system. It has better target detection than previous Simrad radar and a modular system for easy installation. It is a digital radar that enables information to be communicated around the bridge using Ethernet cables, said Mr Fargo. Radar images are displayed on 24-in and 27-in screens on vessel bridges, but can be
Tug Technology & Business | 4th Quarter 2018
Navico presented the new Simrad R5000 radar on a 27-in display at the SMM exhibition
viewed on smaller displays. Simrad’s radar comes with 12 kW or 25 kW of power for X-band and 30 kW for S-band. Its antenna comes in three sizes, 6, 8 and 12-ft diameter. R5000 Simrad radar can be used on workboat newbuilding projects, but Mr Fargo expects there to be more orders from retrofit projects, “for customers that want to upgrade their radar.”. R5000 can be used on tugs and other workboats, naval patrol vessels, across fishing fleets and coastal dry cargo ships for safe navigation and small target detection. Navico will continue to develop this radar platform with overlays for electronic chart
“We will also develop ice and oil detection and tracking capabilities by using algorithms and tuning radar”
systems. “We will also develop ice and oil detection and tracking capabilities by using algorithms and tuning radar,” said Mr Fargo. Furuno released a new platform for its radar at SMM. It introduced the FAR-22x8/23x8 series with an updated radar antenna design and improved signal processing techniques. This advanced technology will increase situational awareness and enable safer navigation, said Furuno UK area manager Paul McKenzie. However, users of the FAR-2xx8 series radar will not need additional training as the software and main functionality is similar to the FAR-2xx7 series, which can be upgraded to the equivalent in the FAR-2xx8 series without major changes to the user software interface. Furuno said the main features of the FAR-2xx8 series include automatic clutter elimination (ACE) for increased clarity of echo returns. ACE adjusts the radar image by changing the clutter reduction filters and gain-control according to sea and weather conditions. There is a fast target tracking function to prevent collisions through improvements
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BRIDGE TECHNOLOGY | 55
in the accuracy of tracking information, such as speed and course vectors. Mr McKenzie pointed out the InstantAccess bar that gives the user immediate access to functions. This contains shortcut menus of tasks, functions and actions that operators frequently use and is similar to other Furuno bridge equipment. Furuno has improved radar controllers so that all operations can be controlled with the trackball. There is also a solidstate model for S-band radar that generates clear echo images around the workboat for specialised target detection. Furuno has developed oil detection and ice detection radar. These use different processing techniques to navigation radar, said Mr McKenzie. Oil tracking radar detects fluids that would suppress wave patterns viewed as clutter on navigation radar, he explained. “We can detect the shadow on the clutter that indicates the presence of oil.” Ice radar uses image processing to identify cracks in ice or soft ice that could be used for navigation and towage in Arctic conditions.
Wärtsilä Nacos Platinum solid-state S-Band radar antenna
Software update
Networked radar
Northrop Grumman subsidiary Sperry Marine revealed its networked radar for the VisionMaster Net integrated bridge system during SMM. VisionMaster SeaGuard is Sperry’s first commercial radar that can instantly detect small targets in all conditions. It provides the “highest levels of precision and resilience to significantly improve situational awareness,” said Sperry Marine managing director James Collett. The radar converts analogue signals to digital data in the antenna. “Then we can move this IP data around the vessel so it can be displayed on the bridge or in the master’s cabin,” he said. “Data could also go back to shore for remote monitoring and diagnostics of
James Collett (Sperry Marine): VisionMaster SeaGuard can instantly detect small targets in all conditions
bridge equipment,” Mr Collett added. VisionMaster SeaGuard will be available in X-band and S-band with antennas ranging from 6-20 ft from Q2 2019. First, Sperry Marine needs to get this new radar product type-approved. “We are working with Lloyd’s Register and demonstrating this radar works to IMO-approved standards and testing its endurance,” said Mr Collett. Its sea trials are on a cross-Channel ferry and it will be available for merchant
Radar unveiled for search and rescue Radar is being produced by a consortium of German organisations and companies that can detect and track a person that has fallen into the sea off a ship. Fraunhofer FHR is working with Raytheon Anschütz and FH Aachen to produce a radar and lifesaving system that can identify and visualise a person overboard. Within the SEERAD project, they are creating a radar receive and transmit antenna and transponders for lifejackets to improve recovery of people in the sea. These transponders are around
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shipping from mid-2019. He said VisionMaster SeaGuard would be adapted for smaller vessels, including tugs, in 2020. Wärtsilä Marine Solutions ensured it was at the forefront of radar technology by unveiling a solid-state S-band unit for its Nacos Platinum integrated bridge system. Wärtsilä product manager for navigation systems Eberhard Maass said this radar optimises target detection without needing a powerful magnetron in the radar antenna. “This significantly reduces maintenance costs compared to conventional radar systems,” he said. Nacos Platinum radar will be an integral part of the company’s navigation offering from mid-2019. It will then become part of Wärtsilä’s smart marine vision, Mr Maass explained. This involves the latest radar technologies “together with high levels of digitalisation and connectivity, to ensure even greater efficiencies and added safety,” he said. Rutter Inc has upgraded the software of its sigma S6 product line for processing and interpreting radar data. Version 9.2.0 is available for existing and new conventional marine navigational and coastal surveillance radar. This software version has enhanced radar imagery, target detection, tracking, and measurement capabilities. Rutter’s product suite includes radar for ice navigation, oil spill detection, small target surveillance and the sigma S6 WaMoS II wave and surface current system. Rutter said the software update includes greater colour display for enhanced visual distinction of potential hazards, improved vessel motion compensation and adaptive sensitivity time control for near-range target detection. Rutter has also reduced the required hardware footprint on board vessels and added image compression for remote access to radar data. TTB
5 cm x 2.5 cm and will be integrated with the jackets to reflect signals from radar. SEERAD project partners are building a harmonic radar module that sends signals in S-band and receives them with twice the frequency in C-band. It can use these reflected signals to locate a person in the water. Passive reflectors in the lifejackets will have a range of around 1 km. If they have a water-activated battery, their range is increased to 10 km. SEERAD could be used on vessels involved in search and rescue.
Tug Technology & Business | 4th Quarter 2018
56 | LEGAL AND INSURANCE
When salvage becomes wreck removal Guidance on what happenes when a salvage operation becomes a wreck removal from Campbell Johnston Clark director Alistair Johnston
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t is easy to think that when a salvor is contracted to salve a vessel and its cargo and the vessel becomes a total loss under its hull insurance, the contract moves into a wreck removal contract seamlessly. However, discussions between owners, hull insurers and P&I insurers could mean the salvor is left in limbo while decisions are made behind the scenes. The shipowners’ will want to move events along as fast as they can and ensure that a total loss vessel is removed as efficiently and economically as possible. However, there could be complications. As an example: a 20-year-old general cargo vessel in ballast has grounded on a coastline in bad weather. Its market value is around US$3M, but its insured value is US$5M under an English law hull insurance policy. Salvors attend promptly and enter into a Lloyd’s Open Form (LOF) contract with the owners. The vessel’s damage means it is not impossible to salve, therefore salvors invoke SCOPIC. Initial hope to refloat the vessel is hampered by bad weather and the vessel’s ground reaction increases. It becomes clear that this vessel is going to become further damaged with repair and salvage costs increasing significantly. Owners’ surveyors are not sure how much repair work is going to be needed as due to weather conditions and a dive survey cannot be carried out. Owners take the view that the vessel is almost certainly going to be uneconomical to repair in terms of its commercial value. Their question is whether the repairs are going to exceed the insured value of the vessel and whether it is a constructive total loss under the hull insurance policy. Its owners submit Notice of Abandonment under the hull insurance policy to their underwriters for consideration and notify their P&I insurers. But, the hull underwriters need time to assess whether the vessel is actually a constructive total loss under its hull insurance. In the meantime, the salvage contract continues to run, SCOPIC increases daily and salvors continue to make every attempt to salve the vessel under the LOF contract. Though salvors should accept that notice will be given by P&I of five days to terminate SCOPIC, or the salvage contract itself could come to an end as there is no prospect of successfully salving the property with value.
Tug Technology & Business | 4th Quarter 2018
Salvors attempt to refloat a grounded bulk carrier off a rocky coastline
Local authorities may insist the LOF contract remains in place. Salvors need to ensure good dialogue with the owners, hull underwriters and P&I insurers to constantly assess costs, project progress and what spread of equipment should remain on site. In this scenario, after a week, the underwriters accept the vessel is a constructive total loss under the hull policy and agree to pay its hull insurance value to the owners. The P&I club will then want involvement in the wreck removal and to discuss with the salvor bringing the LOF contract and SCOPIC to an end. Different factors impact the speed of that decision and local authorities will play a significant part. A salvor involved in the project does have an advantage over other potential bidders for a wreck removal contract and the P&I club will be aware of this. Familiarity with the status of the casualty and having equipment already mobilised and on site can result in a financial saving for P&I insurers funding the wreck removal. If the P&I insurers and the owners decide to put the entire wreck removal contract out to bid, then some of that advantage falls away. The key for salvors and subcontractors is to ensure full and proper dialogue with owners and their insurers throughout, to anticipate likely scenarios and offer alternative services with a view to keeping outlay down. The salvor also needs to ensure sufficient equipment is available if a decision is promptly made for wreck removal. It is disappointing for a salvor with an LOF contract if that contract comes to an end because of bad weather causing further damage to a vessel unexpectedly. That is one of the risks, but salvors can counter the financial impact by using their presence on site and familiarity with the vessel to their advantage when bidding for any resulting wreck removal contract. TTB
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LEGAL AND INSURANCE | 57
Pros and cons of the LOF salvage form MFB solicitor Matthew Montgomery and trainee solicitor Freddie Courtney review the benefits and issues with LOF salvage contracts
Matthew Montgomery: LOF allows for the swift agreement of contractual terms when a vessel is in distress
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he Lloyd’s Open Form salvage contract (LOF) is based upon the ‘no cure, no pay’ principle under which a salvor is only rewarded for a successful salvage operation. It is the pre-eminent salvage contract having been used by the marine market for over 100 years. The contract is straightforward, allowing for the swift agreement of contractual terms when a vessel is in distress, with costs to be settled afterwards. If the parties cannot reach an amicable agreement on costs, a salvage tribunal will be constituted and a specialist salvage arbitrator will decide on the salvors’ remuneration. This is determined by reference to criteria such as the salved value of the vessel and cargo, the nature and degree of the dangers and the promptness of the services rendered. It is well known that the number of LOF contracts being entered into has declined in recent years. Until 2000, more than 100 LOF contracts were usually signed each year However, between 2000 and 2010 the annual figure dropped to around 60 LOFs. Since 2010, the annual number of LOFs has declined to around 40. Technological advances and improved safety cultures have made the seas safer. This is likely to be the main factor that has led to a reduction in LOF numbers and should be celebrated. However, there are other factors, including a perception in the marine insurance market that the LOF is sometimes wrongly used by shipowners in non-salvage situations. For example, a criticism made by the marine insurance market has been the use of the LOF contract in straightforward rescue tow situations.
Alternative options
Freddie Courtney: It is sensible to consider the alternatives without compromising the safety of the crew
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One alternative to the LOF contract, which has seen a rise in recent years, has been to use an LOF with some of the terms amended or with a side-agreement in place. Amendments may include agreeing a cap, which is the maximum possible remuneration the salvors can claim for the salvage operations. Or applying a tariff formula based on the assets and craft used to complete the salvage services. As the annual number of LOF contracts
continues to fall, the salvor is likely to find it harder to reject the terms being proposed. Another option is to use a different type of contract entirely. Where a distressed vessel needs towage services, then a TowCon or TowHire contract may be the better option. Alternatively, the WreckHire contract has been used in various casualty situations. The advantages of these contracts are that a daily rate (or lump sum) is agreed up front. Unlike the LOF, the parties have a clear understanding of how much money will be changing hands from the outset. This is important for marine insurers who can identify their exposures and reserve accordingly. However, the contracts are detailed and it often takes some time before a final version can be agreed.
Buyer beware
Although there are certain situations where an alternative to the LOF may be considered, there are also casualties where an LOF contract is the only appropriate option. Examples include marine casualties where lives are at risk, where there is a major fire or where the structural integrity of the vessel is compromised. In circumstances such as these, where time is of the essence, it may be unwise for a shipowner to try and negotiate an alternative contract. The LOF contract has significant advantages over its competitors. One of those advantages is that, under its terms, the salvor is to exercise ‘best endeavours’ to salve the ship and cargo. None of the alternative options place such onerous duties on the salvor. LOFs are also flexible contracts, allowing the salvor to adapt to a changing casualty scenario without having to negotiate new contractual terms. This is often crucial in a fast-moving marine casualty. The LOF is still generally regarded as the best all-round salvage contract, especially in emergencies. Being clear and simple with no room for negotiation, it is the most appropriate contract where emergency salvage services are required. However, it may not always be the best option. If parties have the luxury of time, it is sensible to consider the alternatives without compromising the safety of the crew, property or the environment. TTB
Tug Technology & Business | 4th Quarter 2018
58 | INLAND OPERATIONS
Tug fleet crucial to huge Russian gas project Combi Lift has completed the first of five phases of inland towage for Gazprom’s Amur gas project with eight custom-built tugs and Nibulon has built its first icebreaking tug in Ukraine
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fleet of tugs built earlier this year for an Eastern Siberia inland towage project have completed the first phase of heavy lifts. Combi Lift is using eight tugs and seven barges to transport cargo for Gazprom’s Amur gas processing plant (GPP) construction project in the Amur region of Siberia. There are several other phases of work that will keep these tugs and barges employed at least until Q4 2022. Combi Lift ordered shallow draught tugs and multicat workboats for transporting heavy project cargo up the Amur and Zeya rivers from the port of De-Kastri in the Russian Far East to the river terminal at Svobodny. These vessels and the seven pontoon barges were built by Damen Shipyards for this project and delivered on a heavy lift ship in Q2 this year. They are owned by Combi Lift subsidiary, AAS Amur Asset Shipping, and designed to access these shallow rivers in cold weather. Project transportation work is conducted in ice-free periods during the northern hemisphere spring and summer each year. The first phase of heavy lift cargo transportation was completed for subcontractor and Amur GPP constructor Linde Group on 16 September. In total, 79 pieces of cargo with a combined weight of 61,755 tonnes were transported from De-Kastri to Svobodny
Tug Technology & Business | 4th Quarter 2018
between May and September this year. Each voyage from De-Kastri to the jetty is 2,371-km long and takes around 21 days. During a five-year period, Combi Lift will transport more than 176,000 tonnes of cargo, including 12 columns that weigh 900 tonnes each. The final cargo is scheduled to be delivered to the Svobodny terminal on the Zeyr River by October 2022. Combi Lift head of project management for the Gazprom Amur GPP project Holger Krenz said the second phase of heavy transport is expected to commence on 15 May 2019. He noted the success of transportation during the first phase this year. “The project preparation phase and later operations were very efficient,” said Mr Krenz. “There were no damages during the entire first transport phase, which was completed one month before the last contractual delivery date.” He said one of the major challenges was that some parts of the Amur River and the Zeya tributary had a depth of only 1.10 m. Weather conditions were “often severe”, which would have an impact on towage operations. Combi Lift overcame these challenges. “We developed a sophisticated concept to master this difficult feat,” said Mr Krenz. Heavy lift vessels transport the project cargo from ports in
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LEFT: Cargo is loaded on to a pontoon barge at the De-Kastri port with assistance of two tugs A pusher tug manoeuvres a pontoon barge with project cargo on the Amur River
Nibulon begins first of a newbuild tug series In Ukraine, industrial and shipping group Nibulon has taken delivery of the first of a series of icebreaking tugs it is building at its own shipyards. It celebrated the arrival of Nibulon 100, the first T3500 design tug, into the fleet in September. A series of multipurpose seagoing and inland river T3500 tugs will be built by Nibulon. Arrival of Nibulon 100 was the first time vessels of this class have been built in Ukraine for 13 years. It was launched in May 2018 and then outfitted for operations.
Nibulon 100 was designed to escort ships along the Buh-Dnipro-Lyman channel and to escort convoys of non-self-propelled vessels, of up to four units at a time. It will be used to escort convoys along the channels during ice conditions in the navigation area in the Dnipro River and in the Black Sea. It is capable of assisting and mooring ships at terminals in the river and has equipment for fire-fighting and pollution control. Nibulon 100’s propulsion comes from MTU main engines and thrusters supplied
Europe and South Korea. The cargo is transferred to barges on the sheltered inner anchorage at the De-Kastri port which are then towed by shallow draught pusher tugs up the Amur and then Zeyr rivers to the discharge jetty. Another contractor is responsible for transporting cargo from Svobodny to the construction site. Combi Lift operates four pusher tugs, each with a draught of 1.45 m on the Amur River and four multicat vessels with shallower draughts of 0.85 m on the Zeya River. Damen also delivered seven 89-m Stan pontoon barges and four 86-m side floaters for this project. Stan pontoons were designed with low weight and draught, while the side floaters provide extra lateral ballastable buoyancy to the pontoons. Each of the tugs and barges operate under the Russian flag and are classed by Russian River Register and the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping. Gazprom’s Amur GPP will become one of the world’s largest natural gas processing plants. It will have an annual processing capacity of up to 42Bn m³ and will help supply gas from eastern Siberian gas fields to China. Construction is expected to be completed in 2024.
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by Rolls-Royce. It also has engineroom equipment provided by Volvo-Penta. T3500 tugs are capable of breaking ice of up to 60 cm thickness along channels, rivers and the open sea. Their rudder propellers mean it is highly manoeuvrable in open water and ice, which is required for escorting and mooring ships. Nibulon has almost completed the second T3500 tug at its shipyard and anticipates this will enter service early in October. The shipyard has started construction of a POSS-115 design project tug and a self-propelled project floating crane with an overall length of 140 m.
Pusher tugs and multicats
Combi Lift uses pusher tugs De-Kastri, Nikolaevsk-onAmur, Komsomolsk-on-Amur and Khabarovsk on the Amur River. These were built to Damen’s 2612 SD design at the Hardinxveld shipyard in the Netherlands. They have an overall length of 24.9 m, a moulded beam of 11.9 m and hull depth of 2.7 m. They have a displacement of 325 gt, bollard pull of 13.5 tonnes and maximum speed of 9.5 knots. In the engineroom there are two Caterpillar C04.4 TA generator sets and three Caterpillar C12 TA B main engines with a combined power of 861 kW at speeds of 1,800 rpm. These are linked to Reintjessupplied gearboxes and drive fixed pitch propellers with a diameter of 110 cm. Damen’s Hardinxveld shipyard also built Blagoveshchensk, Chernigovka, Novopetrovka and Svobodny to a Multicat 2608 SD design. These have an overall length of 25.9 m and moulded beam of 8.5 m. Their displacement is 145 gt and they have bollard pull of 8 tonnes and full speed of 9 knots. These multicats have two Caterpillar C12 TA B engines and two Caterpillar C-04.4 NA gensets. TTB
Tug Technology & Business | 4th Quarter 2018
60 | TECHNOLOGY BRIEFING
Digital twins optimise workboat design and maintenance Technology to create twins of complete vessels has been developed for engineering analysis and optimisation
Aveva Engage includes 3D design models, machinery and pipework on a vessel
Classification societies and design programmers have developed technology to produce digital twins of vessels, workboats and tug equipment to improve design, class approvals and throughlife operations. These are digitised versions of vessels and onboard systems built from 3D models and updated through their lifetime using sensor data. Potential uses for digital twins include optimisation, design and type-approval, integration, testing and acceptance, interface management and certification in the construction phase, plus change management, troubleshooting, training and classification in the operational phase. Aveva introduced digital twin technology at the SMM exhibition in Hamburg, Germany, in September. This software creates a twin that covers design, engineering, construction and the operating life of a vessel. Aveva Engage includes 3D design models, machinery and plant engineering plans, complex pipework models, deep insight information and condition analysis of all elements on a vessel, such as a tugboat. “With this model and digital twin, users have access to live data on the vessel,” said Aveva regional manager Andrew Gordon, who demonstrated the software to Tug Technology & Business. Aveva Engage has a “high-performance graphical engine that enables operators to navigate through the digital prototype” and view documents, photos, manuals and surveys in real time, he explained. The software also provides information on
Tug Technology & Business | 4th Quarter 2018
system components and data from sensors across a vessel once it is in operation. Initial design information and subsequent changes during engineering, construction and vessel operation are held in a relational database and accessed initially through the Aveva work-hub. “A digital model can be downloaded into the system as a close-cut of the live database,” said Mr Gordon. “It is visualised in 3D, where we can include a marine environment, or used in an X-ray mode.” This enables engineers to view elements of the model, intelligent data of onboard systems and assess how these interact in the digital twin. Naval architects at Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping Co’s Design Institute developed a digital twin of a multipurpose tug it designed for towing non self-propelled vessels and floating structures. It used Cadmatic software to develop a 3D model of a single-deck tugboat with fixed pitch propellers with rotating nozzles. This model also includes the engineroom systems, pipework, bulkheads and electrical systems. Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping operates a fleet of 11 harbour tugs, six barges and 19 anchor handlers in a fleet that includes merchant ships, passenger ships and offshore vessels. At SMM, Lloyd’s Register (LR) named General Electric (GE) as its first class-certified digital twin provider. LR marine and offshore director Nick Brown thinks digital twins present “a significant opportunity to marine and offshore operators” in terms of improving aspects of their operational performance and maintenance regimes, while allowing for “greater transparency and repeatability in demonstrating compliance”. LR developed the first data-driven compliance framework to assess and recognise a system provider's ability to create an assetspecific twin. “Digital Compliance now provides this assurance, defining how to demonstrate trust in using digital twins and associated digital health management systems,” said Mr Brown. GE’s Predix Asset Performance Management is a suite of software designed to help optimise the performance of assets. Each asset can have a digital twin, including diesel engines, compressors, pumps, alternators, etc, for digital health management and mitigating operational risks. TTB
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