Two Yanmar 8N21A-EN diesel main engines power the tug, each rated 1,324 kW at 1,800 rpm. Power is transmitted via Cardan shafts to a pair of Schottel fully steerable propulsion units, located beneath access covers in the after deck. Oprey Fighter has a bollard pull of 50 tons and maximum free running speed of 12 knots.

Dedicated tanks can accommodate 160 m3 of fuel oil, 30 m3 of fresh water, 3 m3 of lubricating oil and 5 m3 of hydraulic oil. With this fuel capacity the tug has a range of 3,000 nautical miles while towing at 6 knots.

Electrical power is generated by two Volvo 1500 D7AT powered alternators, each rated at 99kW. A fire fighting system, with two external water-foam monitors mounted above the wheelhouse roof, is supplied by a single pump coupled to the port main engine. The pump is rated at 1,500 m3/hour and delivers 600 m3/hour to each monitor.

Deck equipment comprises two winches supplied by Thor. A combined electro-hydraulic anchor windlass and single drum winch is installed on the foredeck for ship handling or close quarters barge work, with the towline deployed through a massive ‘staple’ style fairlead. Mounted aft is a single drum towing winch with a maximum brake load of 140 tons, equipped with a 600m steel wire towline of 42mm diameter. A disc type quick release tow hook is also provided for secondary use. Both winches and the tow hook release can be operated locally or remotely from the wheelhouse.

Other deck equipment includes an electro-hydraulic ‘knuckle boom’ deck crane with a maximum lifting capacity of 1 ton at 6m outreach. Provision is also available to deploy a boom for spraying chemical oil dispersant.

The superstructure and accommodation aboard Osprey Fighter is located above main deck level and has facilities for a maximum of eight persons in two single, two double and one four berth cabin. A high, well glazed wheelhouse is ideally suited for seagoing work in a small vessel of this type.

Navigational and communications equipment is provided to meet GMDSS standards for worldwide operation. Much of the equipment, radios, radar, GPS, digital compass and echo sounder is from Furuno. Inmarsat C is covered by OTOSAT. The autopilot is by Robertson, the AIS, EPIRB and radar transponder from McMurdo and the Doppler speed log from Thomas.

Osprey Fighter arrived in the UK towing the new barge 'Osprey Carrier', an ocean going deck cargo barge. The barge is 76.02m in length, with a beam of 22m, moulded draft of 3.75m and maximum loaded dead weight of 4,464 tons. A universal deck load of 15 tons per m2 is quoted. The barge is fully equipped with towing and mooring gear and a single anchor and diesel powered windlass.

Osprey Shipping Ltd are offering a tug and barge transportation service, operating mainly between northern Europe and North Africa. The new tug will enhance considerable the services previously undertaken by their existing twin screw tug 'Cumbrae'.