In common with all Shoalbusters, Herman has a large clear working deck aft that is armoured with steel plate in the centre and surrounded forward and at the sided with protective hardwood cladding. The stern roller has a diameter of 0.8m and width of 4m and will be used for anchor-handling and working with dredge pipes and similar heavy and awkward components. A demountable 30 tonne 'A' frame can be attached to permanent fitting on deck for plough dredging and bed-levelling.

A small windlass is provided on the fore-deck to handle the . .

Dutch tug owner Sleepvaartbedrijf Herman SR BV, a family firm based at Zwijndrecht, has taken delivery of the new Damen Shoalbuster 2208.

Proprietor Jack Dodewaard took over the new tug at a ceremony at Damen Shipyard's Hardinxveld yard on 8 May.

The vessel was christened Herman, an important name in the Dodewaard family by Jack's mother Corrie van Dodewaard/v Haarlem. Herman replaces the Herman Senior (Sr) a small but powerful little tug named after Jack Dodewaard's late father and well known in the dredging and marine civil engineering business.

Herman BV specialise in supporting marine civil engineering and dredging throughout western Europe and the UK, carrying out coastal towing with floating plant and providing supporting services on site. All of these tasks require a powerful, versatile and often a shallow draft, multi-purpose vessel. Selection of the Shoalbuster 2208, from the several versions on offer, was the result of considerable discussion and research.

The company is no stranger to the design and already own Tarka, a 24.80m tug from the same 'stable' built in 1976. Tarka is currently completing a contract with Van Oord in Egypt. For some months the company have also been operating the chartered vessel Knight Buster the prototype Shoal Buster 1907, the smallest version of the design, as part of an evaluation exercise.

Herman is classed with Bureau Veritas 1 3/3 (E) + Tug Coastal Waters 30 miles from shore MACH, and meets the requirements of Dutch Shipping Inspection for 30nm coastal/ continuous service. The vessel is 22.35m in length overall, with a beam of 8.64m and draft (aft) of 2m. Construction of the hull and all major steelwork was carried out in Poland, with machinery installation and fitting out undertaken by Damen at the Hardinxveld yard. In common with all 'Shoalbusters' the rugged all steel hull is designed for an optimal combination of shallow draft, high bollard pull and good handling characteristics. A cross-section of the hull reveals a double chine design with a slight deadrise and relatively high buoyancy. The bow has a 'spoon' shaped configuration intended to give good sea-keeping qualities and course stability. The propellers and fixed nozzles are housed in shallow tunnels and a substantial push knee in the bow houses a bow thruster. Heavy moulded rubber fendering is provided all round the vessel and four additional diagonal strakes are fitted at the sides.

Herman is fitted with two Caterpillar 3412 B-DITA-E main engines producing a maximum of 1460bhp (1074kW) and 1800 revs/minute. Power is transmitted to a pair of widely spaced, four blade, fixed pitch propellers, via Reintjes WAF 364L/4.92:1 reverse/reduction gearboxes.

The 1500mm diameter propellers rotate within fixed nozzles, in a configuration ensuring that the nozzle structure and rudders do not protrude below the level of the keel. On trials this propulsion system gave the vessel a bollard pull of 19.1 tonnes and a free running speed of 10.5 knots. To enhance the handling characteristics of this already agile vessel even further, a 100hp, hydraulically operated, bow thruster is installed and powered by a large pump mounted on the forward end of each main engine.

. . single 270kg high holding power Pool anchor. Located on the centreline, adjacent to the windlass is a small 'moonpool' for survey work with dimensions of 600mm x 350mm.

A Ridderinkhof towing and anchor-handling winch has a single, 'split' drum to carry a 32mm diameter towline and a shorter, similar size, anchorhandling wire, that may also be used to operate the towed plough. The winch has a maximum line pull of 30 tonnes at 6m per minute. Attached to the winch mountings and fitted for emergency and auxiliary use is a Mampaey quick release tow hook with a safe working load of 17.5 tonnes. Aft of the winch is located the usual heavy 'Dutch style' towing bollards that also act as an effective fairlead for the towline and anchor-handling wires.

An integral part of the Dutch bollard is the heavy cylindrical mounting structure for the large, hydraulically operated, knuckle-boom crane. The Effer 65000 3-SL crane has a long extension retractable jib and a safe working load of 5 tonnes, at an outreach of 11.5m. Hydraulic power for the towing winch and crane is supplied by an electrically driven power-pack, supported by the tug's main auxiliary generator.

In keeping with many such vessels owned and operated by Dutch family firms, the standard of fitting out and interior layout in the wheelhouse and accommodation is to a very high standard. The spacious wheelhouse has a 'wrap-around' main console that places all of the main propulsion, navigational and communications equipment controls in easy reach from the centrally located 'skipper's' chair.

Combined main engine and gearbox control levers, steering, bow thruster and winch controls are all located neatly to hand on either side of the tug-master at a convenient height. Located at the same level, to port and starboard are the control panels for the vessel's two radars. Herman is fitted with a Furuno 2115B ARPA radar for use at sea and a Furuno 2005 RC river radar for use on inland waterways and to meet the requirements of Rhine certification. The autopilot installed is a Radio Zeeland Seapilot 75 and a ECO 300 'rate of turn indicator' is provided by the same manufacturer. An additional control position, containing duplicate propulsion and steering controls is provided in the after end of the wheelhouse overlooking the winch and after deck.

Navigational equipment fitted aboard Herman includes; a Tokimec ES-110 gyro compass, a Kotter type magnetic compass with a Delta 345 electronic repeater, a Leica Mk 12 GPS, Furuno FCV-582L echosounder and a Furuno Navtex NX-500.

The radio equipment installed meets the requirements of GMDSS Area 2 and includes two Sailor RT 4822, 25w VHF radios with DSC, and a Sailor Single Sideband HT 4610/HC-4500B radio. Four large VDU screens mounted around the foot-well of the main control console are used as displays for (from left to right), digital charts from a Tresco ECDIS electronic chart system, the river radar, the ARPA sea radar, with the fourth screen displaying information from a survey computer. Provision is made in the wheelhouse for additional electronic survey equipment, with two 19 inch Rittal racks with 24V and 240V electrical supplies. As previously mentioned a small moonpool is available on the foredeck and there is easy access to the wheelhouse roof and mast for additional antenna. The crew accommodation aboard Herman is fully air-conditioned and heated.

Four well equipped single cabins are each provided with washing facilities. The usual galley and sanitary spaces are also provided.

Within a few days of being handed over to Herman BV, Herman was preparing to leave Holland with a large 'back-hoe' dredger bound for the North East coast of Britain to begin a new job. Once the new tug is fully established the chartered vessels are likely to be returned to Damen Marine Services and the company will revert to a two-tug fleet, with Herman joining forces with larger sister Tarka.

They will be a formidable pair to the reckoned with in the marine civil engineering and dredging business.