Bommel joins the expanding fleet of Herman Sr

Herman Sr currently offers a fleet of six tugs and multipurpose work vessels for hire or charter. All have been carefully chosen to ensure that vessels of an optimum size and power are available to cover a wide variety of roles.

Four of the vessels available are Damen Shoalbusters, ranging through the 2308 Baloe, the 2509 Bommel, the 2709 Brutus and the 3209 Tarka, all are multipurpose shallow draft tugs capable of seagoing operations and providing a wide range of services on site. The remaining vessels on offer are the Damen Multi-Cats Yogi and DMS Weaver.

From the above list Bommel is the latest addition to the fleet, having completed its builders/owners trials early in February. Herman Sr and its managing director Jack van Dodewaard in particular have worked closely with Damen Shipyards at Hardinxveld on the development of the Shoalbuster range since it’s inception.

It comes as no surprise therefore that the new Bommel represents the first of a new variant, the Damen Shoalbuster 2509. The size and configuration were carefully chosen to fill a particular perceived need in the present marine construction market. Its basic roles include anchor handling, survey, towing, ploughing, dredging and coastal construction support. The tug can sail 200 nautical miles offshore and is designed to take on the toughest projects.

Bommel measures 24.99m in length overal, with a beam of 9.00m and a draft (aft) of 2.40m. The well established Shoalbuster hull form has been retained and combined with many of the best features from previous variants that can be usefully employed in a vessel of its size. One of the most noticable features is the adoption of a larger wheelhouse of the same style as the larger Shoalbuster 2709. The latter offers additional space internally and the outward sloping forward windows for better vision. Additional internal space is particularly useful when operating in a survey role where equipment stowage is vital.

The larger hull, compared with the smaller Shoalbuster 2308, affects not only space on deck and in the engine room but also affords larger tank capacities. Some 62.2m3 of fuel can be accommodated along with 22.4m3 of fresh water, 4.7m3 of sewage, 3.1m3 of dirty oil and dedicated tank spaces for lube oil, hydraulic oil, gearbox oil and bilge water.

Bommel is powered by two Caterpillar C32-TTA ACERT main engines delivering a total of 1,492 bkW (2000 bhp) at 1,800 rpm. The engines drive a pair of 1,800mm diameter fixed pitch Promarin propellers via Reintjes WAF 562L/5.947:1 gearboxes. The propellers rotate in Van De Giessen Optima fixed nozzles, with two ‘fish-tail’ rudders. Manoeuvrability is enhanced further by fitting a 175bhp, hydraulically driven bow thruster located in the single push knee.

On trials this arrangement gave Bommel an average bollard pull of 27.6 tonnes and a maximum of 28.1 tonnes, with a free running speed of 11 knots.

The all important winch, supplied by Ridderinkhof, is a hydraulically powered with two drums on the same axis and a 70 tonnes maximum brake holding load. The anchorhandling drum has a maximum line pull of 40 tonnes at 6m/min and the towing drum a maximum pull of 9 tonnes at 20m/min. Improvements have been made to the winch in the light of previous experience. Both brake cylinders are now mounted above the winch to improve access for maintenance and avoid damage from towing or anchorhandling gear.

Bommel is equipped with the usual open stern and stern roller, a set of MKB Quartro tow pins and line handling gear, and a 12 tonne tugger winch. A 20 tonne SWL ‘A’ frame can be fitted along with a 10m wide, eight tonne, plough.

The work deck aft has a deck loading capacity of 10 tonnes/m2 and has a protective timber covering where necessary.

A vital piece of equipment aboard any Shoalbuster working on site is a powerful deck crane. Bommel is equipped with a HS-Marine AKC 145LHE4 hydraulically powered knuckle boom with a maximum lifting capacity at 17m full reach of 4,650kg.

The deck hydraulics and bow thruster are powered by a hydraulic power pack with pumps driven by a dedicated Caterpillar C-09 TA diesel developing 315kW at 2,250rpm, located in the engine room. The bow thruster pump can be declutched when not required.

Electrical power is supplied by two John Deere 4045TFM76 auxiliarly generators, each with a capacity of 60kVA, 50 HZ, 230/400V. One generator is located in a SilentPack acoustic housing.

Fully heated and air conditioned accommodation is provided aboard Bommel for five persons and comprising, the Captain’s cabin, one officer’s cabin, one single and one double crew cabin. Also included is a galley and the usual sanitary facilities.

The Captain’s main control position in the wheelhouse is a ‘U’ shaped console with the main engine, propulsion, bow thruster and winch controls customised to incorporate the owner’s requirements. All of the controls, instrumentation and communications equipment needed to operate the tug are located within easy reach. A unique addition is a single ‘joystick’ control system from Straathos, giving integrated single lever control of engines, rudders and bow thruster. This is the first time such a system has been installed on a Shoalbuster.