New tug delivered for Waterways Ireland

The new vessel is an 11.2m LOA steel built tug/workboat specifically designed and built for the operating environment of the Shannon Erne waterway system. The vessel is a very similar design to the Inis Muilinn, also designed by Marine Design International Ltd and delivered by Mooney Boats Ltd in June 2010 but incorporating changes due to its intended area of operation.

Air draft was the major difference incorporated for the design of the Inish Fendra. Due to the fact the vessel will be operating on the Erne waterway system, the design process involved significant input from the vessel operators and managers combined with the latest technology and ideas from the designers and builders to improve on efficiency, safety and air draft to exceed the vessel operating regulations.

There are many small workboats available but for a truly suitable vessel the specific requirements of the operating environment had to be considered. The vessel has a low draught of just 1.178m (ballasted) at maximum load, which can be reduced to 1.064m (unballasted) if required to access certain stretches of the waterway. The air draft is also limited to maximise access during the high water levels in winter when a lot of maintenance is carried out to the waterways infrastructure.

The unique feature on Inish Fendra is that the vessel has been fitted with a 3,500 litre ballast tank and pumping system. By touching a button the crew can fill or empty the forward ballast tank with the AM 40D 1½" bronze self-priming centrifugal motor pump unit, complete with 3kW 400v/3 phase/50Hz IP55 electric motor, with a capacity of up to 28 m³/hour (100 gallons/minute) at 5m head at 2,900 rpm. By filling this tank, the vessel can reduce air draft by 0.2m, which will prove to be crucial in certain operations. The vessel has also been designed with a folding mast so that it can be transported by road.

The hull shape has been developed to allow easy manoeuvring in confined spaces. Inish Fendra will be used to push and pull other vessels and barges as well as carry out its own workboat duties. There is a double pusher bow arrangement which is fitted with an access door to allow the crew to step onto pontoons or quay from the bow area.

On recent sea trials, the vessel achieved a bollard pull of 1.54 tons, impressive for a vessel that has only a 185hp main engine fitted. The vessel exceeded the design speed and achieved a top speed of 9 knots at 2,100 rpm during trials. The vessel was surveyed under build by Irish Marine Survey Office and granted a P4 passenger licence.

Main propulsion is from a Perkins Sabre M185C keel cooled engine developing 185hp  2,100 rpm coupled to a Twin Disc QuickShift gearbox model MGX 5075 SC with a ratio of 2.04:1. This is the first time Perkins or Twin Disc have ever matched a QuickShift gearbox with a Perkins M185. Waterways Ireland wanted the QuickShift gearbox fitted because they were impressed with the gearbox on the Inis Muilinn, which Mooney Boats delivered in 2010. That vessel was fitted with the same gearbox coupled to a Caterpillar C7 developing 320hp.

Also in the engine room is a Cummins Onan 13.5Kw genset for powering for hand tools onboard, galley equipment and heating. Both the main engine and generator are fitted with Klima box coolers, removing the risk of blocking seacocks in the shallower parts of the river. The main engine drives a 2¼” Duplex stainless steel propeller shaft turning a 28"by 18.5" four blade propeller. The hydraulic steering on the vessel is an LS-80-PC hand hydraulic helm pump which is also fitted with a HF 1 – 6-24v power pack and is a closed circuit independent system.

Hydraulics on the vessel are powered by an engine driven variable displacement Kawasaki K3VL80/B Load Sense hydraulic pump. Deck equipment is all specified for the heavy duty marine construction support work which the vessel will be undertaking. A centrally mounted Guerra MC40.55 A2 short post deck crane can access the entire aft deck, capable of lifting 500kg and with a maximum reach of 6m. The crane is fitted with the Hook Marine Kranscan system to ensure the crane and vessel combination cannot be operated outside safe limits.

On the aft deck a two ton Rotzler Titan deck winch can be used for lifting over the open transom. A cruciform was fitted on the extreme aft deck which allows the vessel to be safely used for towing operations. Inish Fendra was also fitted with a Seacatch 3.17 SWL quick release towing hook which can be operated from inside the wheelhouse.  

Forward is a Vetus Alex 3 hydraulic anchor winch which can be controlled locally. The vessel has also been fitted with a Side-Power 30hp SP 300 hydraulic thruster, which can be controlled from either inside the wheelhouse or outside the wheelhouse at a forward control station. There is also a Hercules Hydraulics hydraulic power washer.

There is a deck accessed WC recessed into the deck to allow all the helm to see over the top and ensure good all round vision for close quarter operations. Within the main wheelhouse is a galley fitted out with a cooker, microwave and a small services area. There is crew seating for two and the Skipper has his own Nor Sap 1000 skippers’ chair. All areas on the vessel are heated by eclectic panel heaters which are run off the genset.

The genset has been wired to a timer which will automatically start the unit and which can be set from within the wheelhouse. In cold winters such as those recently experienced, heat can be maintained in all areas to prevent the build up of condensation or freezing water pipes.

Navigation equipment was supplied by Barry Electronics Ltd and consist of an Icom M-401 Waterproof VHF Fixed Transceiver, a Furuno Depth and Speed Smart Transducer System, a Furuno GP-7000 Colour LCD GPS Plotter, a Furuno model 1623 Daylight Viewing Radar, an Entel HT644 Handheld VHF Radiotelephone, a compass anda stereo sound system. All other electrical equipment on the vessel was supplied and fitted by Mooney Boats Ltd. This included wiring of the vessel’s navigation lights, heating system, electric immersion heater, cooker, fire alarm panel, electrical bilge system, EC 300 Twin Disc engine controls, battery charging system and all engine wiring.

The vessel was painted using a Jotun & Clarke 2 pack system which was supplied by Mooney Boats Ltd and applied by local painter Gerard Bray & Sons Ltd. The cathodic protection system was designed by MG Duff and supplied and fitted by the yard

For operating in the inland waterway system environmental considerations are particularly important and from the outset the design had a zero discharge specification. To this end, Klima box coolers were specifically designed for the vessel and mounted within hull recesses to provide engine and genset cooling. All fillers have ample catchalls with drain valves and the WC and basins drain to holding tanks for discharge ashore. All components were specified for use with biodegradable oil, limiting the extent of any pollution should a serious accident or failure occur.

Inish Fendra promises to be a high quality, purpose-built workboat maintaining the Shannon Erne Waterway system for many years to come. The vessel was recently delivered by road to Waterways Ireland in Ballyconnell, Co Cavan, and lifted into the water by crane.