Wärtsilä propulsion solution delivers results

The two tugs for the Turkish Directorate General of Coastal Safety, Kurtarma 11 and 12 were built in Eregli under project management by the Yutek Shipyard and its site team. The order for Wärtsilä’s element of the project was placed in 2017 and with both vessels now in service on the Bosphorus Strait of Istanbul, all involved have had the opportunity review the operational results of the pair.

The conventional measure of a tug’s pulling power is its bollard pull figure and the results of tests, certified by the Turkish Lloyd classification society have returned a figure of 75 tonnes, a figure described as “outstanding” by Wärtsilä.

The performance was achieved through a combination of a six cylinder Wärtsilä 26 main engine connected to a Wärtsilä WST-24 steerable thruster controlled by a Pro Touch propulsion remote control system. Wärtsilä state that to achieve 75 tonnes bollard pull an eight cylinder engine would normally be required and that by reaching this level of pulling power with fewer cylinders results in a positive impact on both Capex and Opex costs.

Described as “compact and light” the ‘26’ series of engines have 280mm cylinder bores resulting in minimal space requirements in the engine room while the WST steerable thruster range offers eight thruster types ranging from 700kW to 3,200kW. The Pro Touch propulsion control system comprises a system of levers and touch screen interfaces available for both newbuilds and retrofits.

Murat Ergen, general manager, sales, Wärtsilä Marine said: “The combination of improved performance with compact equipment is already proving to be a great success for these 32 metre long tug boats. Wärtsilä is committed through its Smart Marine approach to enabling the highest possible efficiency for owners and operators, and this is one more prime example.”

Helsinki, Finland-based Wärtsilä is active in a number of markets including marine, oil and gas and energy; its marine division covers a broad spectrum of vessel types from cruise ships and ferries to fishing vessels and military and is a particularly well-known name in the world of tug construction supplying both diesel engines and steerable thrusters.

By Peter Barker