The new ETV Nordic enters service

Nordic is the result of ten years of careful planning by Bugsier Reederei und Bergungs Gmbh of Hamburg and its partners in the Arbeitsgemeinschaft (ARGE) Kustenschutz, in support of a German Government initiative to replace existing vessels carrying out ETV roles in the North Sea and the Baltic.

Nordic is owned by the ARGE consortium and will be operated by Bugsier as an ETV for ten years under a German government contract reported to be valued at up to €114m. The deal was the result of protracted negotiations covering all aspects of the construction and charter, including the specification. Bugsier also acted as project managers for the design and construction of the vessel, which carries the insignia of the four participants in the ARGE consortium; Bugsier, Fairplay - Richard Borchard, Unterweser Reederei and Wiking Helikopter.

Nordic is now stationed off Norderney on the German North Sea coast in an area susceptible to unpredictable and hazardous weather conditions, resulting in a heavy and dangerous swell. It is also an increasingly busy area for ships of all kinds using the North Sea shipping routes to the Elbe and Weser, with many vessels carrying potentially hazardous or polluting cargoes. A large increase in the size and frequency of very large containerships was also a major factor in the decision making process. In the event of a machinery failure or other serious incident, the rapid intervention of a purpose designed ETV could prove vital in preventing major pollution and/or loss of life.

Nordic has replaced the well known deepsea salvage tug Oceanic which, when it was delivered to Bugsier Reederei in1969, was one of the most powerful and sophisticated vessels of its type in the world.

Your correspondent visited the Oceanic when it came to London to be introduced to the shipping industry and the press in 1969. I am therefore especially indebted to Bugsier for the opportunity to visit its successor Nordic in Germany during the final stages of completion. In many ways the two vessels will always remain inextricably linked. Although Oceanic is now an elderly lady of the sea and due for retirement, much has been learned from nearly a decade and a half of its operation as an ETV.

Several important aspects of Nordic’s design, particularly with regard to its performance in bad weather, are based on operational experience with the Oceanic and other deepsea tugs carrying our similar duties. The design of the working deck aft is an excellent example. Regardless of the weather conditions it is still necessary for seamen to work on deck to make that vital towing connection to a disabled ship. A hull configuration has been chosen, not only to address that particular problem, but also to give the tug a high maximum speed of almost 20 knots. The ability to arrive at a casualty quickly and manoeuvre accurately to make a towing connection, or provide some other emergency assistance, is essential.

Nordic has a maximum bollard pull of over 200 tons, a figure intended to ensure that the tug can deal with the largest ships frequenting German territorial waters. Nordic also has the ability to operate in highly volatile or toxic atmospheric conditions, of a kind that might be encountered during an incident with a chemical, oil, LNG, or other hazardous cargo.

Nordic was built at the P+S Werften Gmbh (formerly Peen-Werft) Wolgast shipyard in Northern Germany. The design process, including tank testing, was entrusted to Skipskonsulent of Bergen, Norway (an associate of Wartsila), working in close cooperation with technical staff from Bugsier.

The tug measures 78m in length overall, with a moulded breadth of16.4m, a depth (to the main deck) of 8.0m and draft of 6.0m, giving it a deadweight of 2,400 tons and a gross tonnage measurement of 3,300 gt. Construction was carried out using a modular ‘block’ principle, with the hull being constructed in two halves. Each half was fitted out to an advanced stage prior to being welded together in dry dock. The design and construction meets the requirements of Germanischer Lloyd +100 A5 IW ‘TUG’ +MC AUT ‘suitable for use in hazardous atmosphere’.

A hull form was chosen which incorporates a prominent bulbous bow with a considerable flare, and a forecastle two decks high and extending aft to beyond amidships. This combined with a sheltered after deck, with high bulwarks and an enclosed, rounded stern, enables the vessel to operate at high speeds in rough weather conditions and affords a safer working environment when making a towing connection.

Any problems associated with freeing the enclosed working deck aft from excess water is alleviated by incorporating a large transverse channel at the forward end, below deck level and covered by gratings, with freeing ports on either side.

The superstructure is over three decks high and has, likewise, been designed to give maximum protection in heavy weather, with heavily sloping forward surfaces. A large bridge, with outward sloping windows, is located just forward of amidships.

Nordic has a twin screw propulsion system powered by a pair of MTU 20V8000 M71L GSB diesels of a new advanced design specially adapted to operate in hazardous atmospheric conditions. During normal running the engines are rated at 8,600 kW each (a total of approximately 17,200 hp). When operating in a hazardous atmosphere, the turbochargers are shut down and the engines run in a ‘normally aspirated’ mode at a reduced power rating of 4,000 kW. Under those conditions, the engine exhaust spark arresters are supplemented by a water cooling system.

The main engines drive Berg Propulsion controllable pitch propellers via Flender reduction gearboxes that also provide a power take-off for the shaft generators. Each propeller rotates within a short, fixed thrust augmenting nozzle. Twin high efficiency ‘flap’ rudders from Becker are normally operated in unison but if required can be controlled independently. Manoeuvrability is enhanced further with the installation of three electrically powered 800 kW transverse thrusters, two in the bow and one at the stern.

Each main engine also drives a fire pump coupled to the front end via a power-take off and step-up gearbox. A hydraulic supply for the deck machinery is provided by a massive electrically driven power pack located in the engineroom.

Electrical power onboard this large and complex vessel is supplied by two shaft generators supplied by Leroy Somer, each rated at 2,000 kVA, and two auxiliary generators of 1,350 kVA located in the engine room and powered by MTU diesels. A 125 kVA emergency generator powered by an MAN diesel is located in the superstructure on ‘A’ deck. All of the latter are capable of running under hazardous atmospheric conditions and have water cooled exhausts.

An additional auxiliary generator located in a small deckhouse on the towing deck aft fulfils an important function on this particular vessel. As part of its normal duties Nordic spends a considerable amount of time at anchor and rarely remains in harbour for more than a few hours. This generator, rated at 350 kVA and powered by an MTU 8V2000 M50 diesel, has an SDT sound insulated housing and supplies power when the vessel is at anchor and the main auxiliaries are shut down. Not only does this arrangement reduce sound levels throughout the accommodation while at anchor, the small deckhouse also provides an alternative route to the towing deck in heavy weather.

As one would expect, the towing gear aboard Nordic is impressive. The winch-house is totally enclosed within the superstructure and is a full two decks high. A hydraulically powered Hatlapa double-drum ‘waterfall’ style winch has a brake holding capacity of 387.5 tons (3800kN) and can accommodate 1,400m of 80mm diameter steel wire towlines on each drum. The towlines are deployed via massive fairleads and served by hydraulically powered spooling gear operated by an unusual recirculating chain cable system.

When the towlines are in use they are high above the deck, making the provision of remotely operated Karm tow pins and a line handling fork with a safe working load of 300 tons essential. Traditional ‘tow beams’ are placed across the width of the deck to prevent fouling. Two tugger winches, each with a line pull of 10 tons and working in conjunction with specially designed ‘hinged sheaves’, can also be used to assist in controlling the towlines.

Spare pennants and other towing gear is stored on three powered reels located on the deck above the winch house. Other items of salvage equipment are stowed around the towing deck and a clear space is marked for helicopter winching operations.

A prominent feature on the portside of the tug is the HMB Lintech Marine crane, designed for offshore use in swells of up to 2m and winds of Beaufort Force 6. The hydraulically operated crane has a maximum reach of 16m and can be used for a wide range of duties including handling boats, skimmers, pollution control equipment and transferring stores. When fully extended the crane has a lifting capacity offshore of 3.6 tons and 6.5 tons when in harbour.

A 7.20m Hatecke FRB 20-700SUBS fast rescue boat is stowed adjacent to the crane and in suitable conditions can be launched on either side of the tug, using a sophisticated ‘Pendulum Low Handling’ (PLH) unit which also enables the orientation of the boat to be controlled. The boat is powered by a 120 kW inboard diesel engine and has a top speed of 30 knots. A smaller, mandatory, ‘man overboard’ rescue boat is situated on the starboard side and handled by a ‘Global’ davit.

The fire fighting installation features two Jason monitors, mounted above the wheelhouse on telescopic masts. In the lower position the monitors can each deliver 1,200 cu/m of water per hour and when fully raised, to15m above the mounting, 600 cu/m/hour. A self protection water spray system is fitted and the entire installation supplied by fire pumps driven by the main engines.

As previously mentioned, the bridge is located almost amidships and is well glazed for good all round vision. The layout is that of a conventional deepsea tug, with a wide central console forward containing all of the essential propulsion and navigational controls and instrumentation. A smaller console installed facing aft, with seating for two persons and duplicated controls, also incorporates controls for the winch and tow pins, etc. A separate chart table, GMDSS radio desk, and a meeting area with a table and seating are also provided on the bridge. The outfit of navigational and communications equipment chosen is of a high standard and fully compatible with the duties of a modern ETV.

The superstructure and accommodation aboard Nordic is vast and fulfils a number of functions. In addition to providing comfortable facilities for the crew, space and facilities are available for the training of apprentices and the care and treatment of large numbers of survivors rescued during an emergency. The configuration of the entire accommodation area is made more complex by the need to be able to operate under ‘closed down’ conditions in hazardous atmospheric conditions.

A crew of 12 and a ‘boarding’ team of four are accommodated in 16 single cabins and 12 apprentices in six double berth cabins. The cabins for the Captain and Chief Engineer include a lounge and office and are located along with the other officers’ cabins on C deck, just below the bridge. Provision is also made for four supernumeraries that may include owner’s representatives, instructors or similar personnel. Separate dayrooms are provided for the officers and crew, and other facilities include mess and dinning areas, a large galley and pantry, a treatment room, hospital, a conference/recreation/classroom, changing rooms and extensive dry and frozen storage arrangements. A dedicated garbage area enables refuse to be stored for disposal ashore.

When Nordic is ‘closed down’ under hazardous atmospheric conditions, the vessel has two ‘citadel’ areas, A and B, which are maintained with an ‘overpressure’ of 4mbar and 2mbar respectively. Citadel A includes the bridge, engine control room, and selected areas on each deck. Citadel B includes the engineroom, all of B deck, the treatment room and hospital, and selected areas elsewhere. Carefully positioned air-locks are provided, some with access to the deck and large enough to accept stretchers, to enable the normal operation of the vessel and casualties to be brought into the treatment areas.

Unlike most other vessels equipped to operate under hazardous conditions, pressurisation aboard Nordic is not achieved by using pumped, filtered air from outside. In this vessel a system of stored ‘clean’ air is used for both pressurisation and to purge air-locks etc. Banks of compressed air bottles are located in a storage space on the portside of the accommodation. ‘Plug-in’ connections on deck, with adjacent seating, enable deck crew wearing breathing apparatus to rest and draw air from the ship’s system.

Under ‘closed down’ conditions Nordic can operate for a minimum of eight hours before having to withdraw to a ‘clean air’ environment to recharge the bottles using onboard compressors. Much of the system has been installed using equipment and expertise from Draeger Safety, including a network of hazard detecting sensors located in strategic locations around the vessel and pressure monitoring equipment internally.

The vocational training of apprentices in seamanship and marine engineering forms an important part of the ETVs work while on duty at sea. Throughout the vessel equipment has been selected to enable various subjects to be taught, from the very basic to more advanced levels.

Nordic was christened in Hamburg on 8  December and sailed within a few days to undertake training and familiarisation for the crew prior to taking up station on 1 January. This new ETV follows into service the Baltic, a vessel of a quite different design which entered service on the Baltic Sea coast just a few months earlier (Maritime Journal – October 2010).

The entire North Sea ETV project, from its inception to the vessel’s final commissioning has been followed and documented in great detail for a book, ‘Notschlepper Nordsee’. Author and photographer Peter Andryzak describes the ETV concept and every aspect of the planning, design and construction of Nordic and has virtually ‘lived with’ the project from a very early stage and spent time at sea with the Oceanic on ETV duties. The book will be available soon, with versions in German and English.

By Jack Gaston