Salvanguard and Salviscount , each with a bollard pull of 166 tons, form part of an important fleet renewal programme. They are almost certainly the latest dedicated ocean salvage tugs to be built by a dedicated ocean towing contractor anywhere in the world.

With long distance towing as its core business, and their prime source of revenue Semco has recognised the need for new purpose-built tugs to meet rising standards of safety and quality demanded when undertaking towage operations with a brand new generation of oil rigs and FPSOs. The new tugs are designed specifically for long haul ocean towage and salvage work. One of the most important features to be incorporated is a maximum fuel capacity of over 2000 tonnes, allowing either tug to tow at maximum power non-stop without need for bunkering from Singapore to Cape Town.

Salvanguard and Salviscount were launched in September and October respectively at the Singapore shipyard of President Marine and it is understood that they were completed at Semco own facilities. Virtually identical, the vessels are 75m in length overall with a beam of 18m, a summer draft of 6.40m and weigh in at 3188dwt and 3342gt.

Four Wartsila Vasa 6R32LNE main engines run at 750 rev/min to turn twin Lips controllable pitch propellers with a total of 13,500bhp. The vessels have a bollard pull of 166 tons, a maximum free running speed of 15 knots and fuel consumption calculated to give an endurance of 40 days while towing at sea.

Two Lips transverse thrusters enhance manoeuvrability, producing 12 tons of thrust in the bow and 10 tons in the stern. Electrical power is supplied by two 1,200kW shaft generators supplemented by 350kW diesel auxiliaries and a 105kW harbour set.

The all-important towing gear comprises a hydraulically powered, triple drum, waterfall type, towing and anchor-handling winch with a maximum brake holding load of 400 tons on each drum. All three drums carry 1500m of 76mm diameter steel wire rope.

Line handling is facilitated by one set of Triplex towing pins with a SWL of 200 tons, a Triplex 'Sharks Jaw' of 300 tons SWL and two 10 ton electro-hydraulic tugger winches. A 300 ton capacity stern-roller has a diameter of 3m and width of 5.5m.

Fire fighting equipment is installed to meet FiFi 1 standards with two foam/water monitors delivering 1200cu/m/hr, with water supplied by two 1500 cu/m/hr engine driven pumps running at 1800rev/min. A comprehensive range of salvage equipment is carried and dedicated tanks are provided for foam compound and chemical dispersant.

Both new tugs along with the existing Salvaliant and Salvigour will form a four tug team to tow the Kizomba A, one of the world's largest FPSOs from Ulsan to offshore Angola.

Salvanguard, Salviscount and Salvaliant will tow the vessel and Salvigour will attend as escort. In addition to the towage contract with Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI), Semco has also been engaged by HHI (for client Exxonmobil) to carry out the positioning operation when the FPSO arrives off the Angola coast.

All four Semco tugs plus a fifth subcontracted tug will conduct the exacting task under the supervision of a Semco positioning team.