European influence for Mexican tug deliveries

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Two European companies involved in ship design and ship delivery have demonstrated their global connections with two new tugs for Mextug, a part subsidiary of Chilean operator Ultratug.

The product portfolio of Netherlands-based Offshore Ship Designers (OSD) covers a wide range including tugs and offshore support vessels and Mextug Lerma and Mextug Balsas are tugs built to OSD’s designs with delivery of the pair, from builders at Nantong China to Mexico, entrusted to Rotterdam-based Transport & Offshore Services (TOS).

The tugs fall into the comparatively small (less than 24m load line length) category and classed by ABS. They have an overall length of 25.85m and beam of 10.8m and are powered by twin Caterpillar 3512 main engines driving Rolls-Royce azimuth thrusters producing a bollard pull of 56t and service speed 11.5kn. Fuel oil capacity is 110m3 and fresh water capacity 25m3 Both vessels meet fifi1 standard and accommodation is provided for ten persons.

Looking closer at both TOS and OSD, this column hopes to include an update on activities at the former in a future edition. Meanwhile, looking at Offshore Ship Designers in detail, its portfolio contains an interesting list of references covering: seagoing, anchor-handling, harbour and terminal tugs. Of note is its Azistern series including the recently added Azistern 3480 ICE design including options for hybrid propulsion (see MJ July 2016).

Tugs associated with OSD that will be familiar to those in the industry include: the 103tbp Braveheart for Barry Towage and Offshore; the 100tbp series for various owners including Harms Bergung (some of which now with ALP Maritime) and Fairplay Towage ; the 90tbp Thor (formerly Thorax with Østensjø); 55tbp Burondi for Svitzer Americas; and dating back earlier, the two well-known anchor-handling salvage tugs built as Tempest and Typhoon for Wijsmuller Salvage and reminiscent from OSD's earlier history originating from the Wijsmuller Group, IMT Marine and WorldWise Marine. A global company with a prestigious history.

By Peter Barker