Schottel and McAllister 30 years cooperation

The order for the German Schottel Group involves two SRP 490 Rudderpropellers for American tug operator McAllister Towing to power a new escort and harbour tug being built by Washburn & Doughty in Maine USA.

The Rudderpropellers will each be provided with an input power of 2,525kW from Caterpillar 3516 engines operating at 1,800rpm and delivering an expected bollard pull of around 82 tons and speed of over 14kn. The thrusters will have fixed-pitch propellers 2,800mm in diameter and the standard range includes Schottel ProAnode enhancing corrosion protection, Schottel HTG (High Torque Gear) technology and high performance nozzles.

Schottel’s Rudderpropellers including the SRP 490 and SRP 460 models have a maximum power rating for tug duties of between 2,350kW and 2,550kW per engine and are among the company’s azimuth thrusters that have undergone several technical updates to offer state-of-the-art design, construction and economical operation. The SRP 460, formerly SRP 1515 was first delivered in 1999 and has been continuously updated for two decades making them suitable for the 80 ton bollard pull class of tug, an indication of the gradual increase in power of modern harbour and escort tugs.

The new tug extends further the long-standing relationship between McAllister Towing and Schottel dating back 30 years when McAllister became Schottel’s first customer in the US since when more than 70 azimuth thrusters have been delivered to McAllister.

Captain Steven J. Kress, vice president operations at McAllister Towing said: “Schottel, with its experience and customized solutions, not only meets but often exceeds the requirements in today’s modern maritime industry. Besides highly efficient products, Schottel’s competent advice and good service make the propulsion experts a reliable partner when it comes to providing our vessels with the best propulsion efficiency at all times.”

The Schottel Group is based in Spay/Rhine and widely seen as one of the world’s leading manufacturers of propulsion and steering systems for ships and offshore applications. Founded in 1921 the company has been developing and manufacturing azimuth propulsion and manoeuvring systems with power ratings up to 30MW and steering systems for vessels of all sizes and types for almost 70 years.

By Peter Barker