TOWLINES
On 12 June the Secretary of State for Scotland, Michael Moore, confirmed the UK Government will continue to fund an Emergency Towing Vessel (ETV) for the rest of the Spending Review up to 2015. The single vessel will provide cover and assistance to shipping around the coast of Scotland as required. Prior to this announcement month by month funding arrangements had been in place to enable one ETV, the Anglian Sovereign, to be retained in Scotland since the UK ETV fleet was axed in 2011. The procurement process has been launched to provide a vessel for the longer term.
Sommer S, a new 24m ASD tug, has entered service with Shaver Transportation Company of Portland, Oregon, USA. The tug was designed by Capilano Maritime Design Ltd and constructed by the local shipyard Diversified Marine Inc. Now the most powerful tug in Shaver’s fleet, the tug is powered by two MTU/Detroit Diesel 16V4000 M61 diesels delivering a total of 5,360 bhp to a pair of Schottel SRP1215 propulsion units. Sommer S has a maximum bollard pull of 61 tonnes, a free running speed of 12.5 knots and is used for shiphandling and other harbour duties.
A fleet of four 62 tonnes bollard pull ASD tugs are ready for work at a new LNG terminal nearing completion at Kochi on the west coast of India. Named Ocean Elite, Ocean Perfect, Ocean Pioneer and Ocean Enterprises, they are operated by Goa based towage and marine services company Ocean Sparkle Ltd. All four are Robert Allan designed RAmparts 3200CL tugs, constructed by Cheoy Lee in Hong Kong. They are equipped with Caterpillar 3516B main engines, Schottel propulsion units, fire fighting systems to FIFi 1 standard, and a MacGregor single drum combined towing winch and anchor windlass on the foredeck.
McAllister Towing & Marine Transportation, with headquarters in New York USA has ordered its 25th ASD tug, which will be built by Senesco Marine LLC based in North Kingstown, Rhode Island. Already allocated the name Eric M. McAllister, the tug has been designed by Jensen Maritime and will be fitted with Caterpillar 3516CHD Tier III complaint main engines of 5,150 bhp (total). A JonRie 250 escort winch will be fitted and the vessel will comply with the ABS notation for ‘escort service’. On delivery in 2013, McAllister plans to base the tug in the New Bedford, Massachusetts area primarily for escort towing in Buzzards Bay.
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