One of the first designs to receive this detailed design review was the original Damen Stan Tug 2207. This 22m tug has been extensively employed around the world as harbour tugs, support vessels for mooring and hose handling at single buoy moorings, and a wide variety of similar tasks. When this design was reviewed it was decided to increase the beam by 1m to enable larger engines to be used, giving a greater bollard pull and enhanced stability whilst towing.

The vessel was relaunched as the Stan Tug 2208 and the list of options available to the purchaser is impressive. Several Stan Tug 2208 vessels have been delivered and two of the most recent examples illustrate the results of the product review very well.

The Magni, delivered in June to Associated Icelandic Ports Ltd, is a new harbour and coastal tug based at Reykjavik. It replaces a smaller Damen Stan Tug 1906 of the same name built in 1996.

An increase in cruise vessels and shipping traffic generally frequenting the Icelandic ports has made a more powerful tug desirable.

Magni is equipped for harbour and coastal towage and classed by Lloyds Register for 'unrestricted service'. The tug is 22.67m in length overall, with a maximum beam of 8.44m and draft of 3.69m. Two Caterpillar 3512B TA/B main engines, producing a total of 2,72bhp at 1,600rpm, drive a pair of Kaplan II Promarin fixed pitch propellers of 2,200mm diameter. The propellers rotate within fixed Van der Giessen 'Optima' nozzles of the very latest type. Power is transmitted via Reintjes WAF 664L gearboxes with a reduction of 5.95:1. This propulsion system gives the tug a bollard pull of 39.5 tons and maximum free running speed of 12.1 knots.

Electrical power aboard Magni is supplied by two Caterpillar 3304 NA driven alternators rated at 63kW, A further Caterpillar diesel is coupled to a 300m 3/hr fire pump supplying water to a pair of monitors for external fire fighting. All exhaust gases are routed, via their respective silencers to outlets in the transom. An option offered in this later series is for small uptakes or funnels.

A DMT towing winch, fitted immediately aft of the superstructure, has a 10 ton line pull and carries a 300m steel wire towline. With the exception of a Heila HML 20-2S hydraulic crane mounted adjacent to the winch and an auxiliary tow hook, the after deck offers a large clear working space.

The wheelhouse follows Damen's current practice giving good all round visibility, thanks to the deep windows and chamfered deckhouse.

Accommodation is provided for four persons in two cabins, with the usual galley, mess-room and sanitary facilities. The effects of noise and vibration are reduced by means of Bolidt floating floors and sound insulated Dampa ceilings.

Another recent delivery, the first of five ST 2208s for the same owner, is the Luebeck.

Virtually identical in size and power, this tug and its four sister ships is fitted out for a very specific purpose. The owner is Oldendoft Carriers Gmbh & Co KG of Luebeck, which by the end of the year must have a tug and barge fleet in place to transport bauxite down the river Berbice in Guyana. Oldendorf succeeds Viceroy Shipping in the transshipment and ocean transportation of bauxite from the loading basin and will succeed the British company JP Knight Ltd as tug and barge operator.

In order to carry out this work, involving pushing barges through the jungle, up and down the shallow and difficult river, the tugs have heavy bow fenders and rope sheaves on the after deck.

The latter enables a 'Dutch' style push-tow rig to be used with two main securing wires tensioned by the towing winch.

A hydraulically powered Kraaijeveld twin drum winch, with a line pull of 30 tons, has been selected for the purpose.

No bow thruster is installed but the tugs will all have a bollard pull of over 39 tons and a maximum speed of almost 12 knots.

Damen has also turned its attention to upgrading other tugs in the Stan Tug series.

The first of a new version of the popular ST1906 is soon to appear. Designated the ST 1907 this vessel has also been widened and modified in much the same way previously described. Plans are also in hand to modify the Stan Tug 1605 a vessel that has been produced in very large numbers and that has changed only superficially over a couple of decades.