Delivery and order round-up

Given the time-lag, reports included here largely predate the pandemic’s effect on the shipbuilding industry globally but doubtless all involved between client at the start and builder at the end will have been affected by Coronavirus in some way. Meanwhile, let’s take a positive view and consider five recent vessel deliveries and four orders.

In 2017 Chinese shipbuilder Cheoy Lee commissioned UK’s Macduff Ship Design to produce a small workboat to fit its existing range able to be tailored to specific owners’ requirements, the first two 14m stock vessels are now complete and available. A conventional layout of forward wheelhouse and large open deck is adopted with towing via a tow post and 10t SWL tow hook.

Optional changes include additional forecastle deck providing higher freeboard and improved accommodation, option for lengthening and addition of winches and a crane. Twin Caterpillar C9.3, 416hp main engines drive 1,250mm propellers in Kort nozzles via Twin Disc gearboxes offering a bollard pull of 10t and speed 10.2kn.

TSM Ouessant is one of Neptune Marine’s popular EuroTug range, due for imminent delivery to Thomas Services Maritimes. This ‘3515’ ultra-shallow draught variant is the largest EuroTug in Neptune’s range and third such example following Ella F for GSS Plant (Neptune Equipment BV) in 2017 and Nora B for Neptune Equipment BV in 2019.

News from Sanmar has seen delivery of the 70tbp RAmparts 2400SX Boğaçay XXXIX to INEOS FPS in Scotland, now operating at Hound Point Terminal carrying the name Queensferry. Because of the Coronavirus situation, Sanmar chartered a private jet to bring its own crew home upon the tug’s arrival in the UK. They are now undergoing 14 days quarantine as per Turkish government measures.

While not quite yet a delivery, Sanmar has launched another Scottish-bound tug Odin of Scapa, the first of a pair of RAL RAstar 3200SXs for Orkney Islands Council. The launch was on schedule and within budget with the second, Thor of Scapa currently ahead of schedule and around two months behind Odin. We hope to report in detail on these significant additions to the UK fleet in due course.

Final delivery to report is from the ways of Turkey’s RMK Marine with completion of the ASD tug T. Damla 8 to Dİtaş A.Ş. of Turkey, another example of first of a pair, it joins six previous tugs from RMK for the same owner. ABS-classed T. Damla 8 has a LOA of 25.4m on a beam of 11.8m and offers a bollard pull of 70t and speed 12kn.

Damen Shipyards Group has reported delivery of seven tugs and to give these the space they deserve we are holding details over to next month. The Hardinxveld-based shipbuilder is however first item of news as we look at orders announced recently.

In the third mention of Scottish-based operators in this round-up Forth Ports Ltd has signed a contract with Damen for an ASD 2312 to operate as part of the Forth Estuary Towage operation. It will provide towage services at various Forth Ports locations as well as for other external customers in Scotland.

The ASD 2312 is one of Damen’s “next generation” tugs, notable for its twin-fin skeg arrangement, 86% window coverage and impact resistant safety glass. Perhaps most notable is where the towing winch is enclosed by the accommodation, its location close to the vessel’s mid-length point allowing the tow line to be routed over the bow for typical port shiphandling operations and over the stern for conventional towing.

Forth Ports required its new tug to be available as soon as possible and while it is under construction Damen Marine Services has provided the ASD Tug 2811 Pioneer (renamed Forth Pioneer) to fill the gap.

Finally, Turkish shipbuilder Uzmar has signed a contract with SAAM Towage El Salvador for two newbuild RAstar 3200W ASD escort tugs. The 75+tbp tugs will service the Energia del Pacifico LNG project in El Salvador and for Uzmar follows the similar RAL RAstar 3200W Tsimshian Warrior, Canada’s first IMO Tier III compliant tug and in operation at AltaGas Terminal in Canada.

By Peter Barker