Union Amber will be joined in the port by sister ship ‘Union Jade’ in June and two identical tugs are being completed for associate company Fairplay Towage of Hamburg.

Union Amber and Union Jade are small agile tugs of only 25m in length overall, with a beam of 11.20m and design draft of 3.8m. A pair of ABC 8 MDZC diesel main engines generate a total of 5,028 bhp (3,700Kw) to power a pair of Schottel SRP 1515F propulsion units to achieve a bollard pull of 65 tons.

Two Scania D9 95M 10-40 diesel driven alternators with a maximum capacity of180 kVA supply electrical power to each tug at 3x380V – 50Hz.

An unusual feature of this design from the Armon shipyard is the towing gear layout. A single combined Brusselle SLH-150.20/2-2-2 twin drum towing winch and anchor windlass on the foredeck is used for towing operation over the bow or astern as required. The winch has a maximum brake holding load of 180 tons and both drums are declutchable. When shiphandling, a towline is deployed from one drum of the winch in the usual manner, deploying the towline forward through a stainless steel line fairlead. To tow over the stern a towline is routed through a tunnel beneath the superstructure and aft via a substantial deck mounted fairlead. The winch can be controlled remotely from the wheelhouse or from a portable control console on deck

In keeping with all URS tugs the wheelhouse is well equipped with navigational and communication equipment to the latest standards, including radar, electronic charting, DGPS, and multiple VHF radio installation. Fully air conditioned accommodation includes three double cabins and facilities for up to six persons.

Union Amber and Union Jade are part of a twelve tug newbuild programme. Orders have been placed with Spanish yard Astilleros Armon for eight of the remaining vessels. During 2008-2009 Armon will deliver 33m ASD harbour tugs of the existing 65 tons bollard pull ‘Union Emerald’ class. Four larger ASD tugs are scheduled for delivery between May 2008 and August 2010. The latter will be constructed to a new 36m design with an anticipated bollard pull of 80 tons,

In the meantime two 32m ASD tugs are currently under construction to a Robert Allan design in the Dearsan shipyard at Tuzla, Istanbul in Turkey. The 65 tons bollard pull vessels will bear the names ‘Union Grizzly’ and ‘Union Kodiak’ and will be delivered in April and September of this year. URS currently employs a fleet of over 30 tugs in the Schelde ports and the above building programme is intended to enable fleet replacements to be made and to fulfil specific contract requirements as new business opportunities arise in the area.