Boluda introduces its silent tugs to Bureau Veritas

Boluda Towage and Salvage’s presentation was made in a return attendance at the annual meeting in Madrid organised by the technical committee of BV which reviews the most outstanding innovations of the year in the maritime sector. As well as featuring silent qualities, the tug includes other technological advances including energy efficiency and a smart ship system.

Elsewhere in this edition of MJ the previous and next 30 years of the towage industry is reflected upon to coincide with the publication’s 30th anniversary. The question of evolution or revolution is considered, but of course what can be considered as revolutionary can be achieved by stealth through gradual evolution as much as a new idea, be it from naval architects designing hulls or a component manufacturer developing a different approach to an age-old problem. Boluda are perhaps showing here that the stealthier approach of evolution is a worthwhile route to follow.

For Boluda, associate technical manager José Maria Collado highlighted the technology associated with Advanced Voith Tractors (AVT) which has achieved noise and vibration levels difficult to obtain with this type of vessel due to their small size, general layout and power. The company recognises the value of protecting crews’ comfort and health through a quieter work environment.

The tugs in question involve a series of ten next-generation AVTs entrusted to Spain’s Zamakona Yards. Construction of the series is now well under way with the last example due to be delivered by 2020. They are Robert Allan Ltd TRAktor 3200-V escort tugs, a collaboration between owner, builder and designer and are 31.7m in length on a beam of 12.8m and 4.7m depth. Twin MAK engines develop 7,500bhp in total driving Voith Schneider propulsion units delivering a bollard pull of 85.9 tons.

Boluda state the pioneering tugs surpass current standards and are ‘the undoubted benchmarks in the sector’. The standard technical specifications include an improvement with the ergonomic layout of the wheelhouse controls with the propulsion arrangement producing excellent manoeuvrability. A machinery control system has been integrated to adapt each tug procedure to its particular operational profile and location. This includes special attention to energy efficiency in line with Boluda’s corporate responsibility policies.

The features accompanying this interesting series of otherwise outwardly standard series of shiphandling Voith tractor tugs clearly include other aspects not mentioned so far and Boluda state they are confident of a return invitation to Bureau Veritas next year to ‘continue promoting other ground-breaking features of this new generation of tugs, such as energy efficiency and the smart ship system.’

By Peter Barker