Macduff tug designs grow in popularity

There has also been news of important deliveries, including the completion of the first ASD tug to be built to a Macduff design.

The 20m ASD tug TSMAlbatre, delivered in February, is the first of two new vessels to be built for the French operator Thomas Service Maritime, based in the French port of Rouen. TSMAlbatre and its sister, TSM Bherat, currently being fitted out, are products of the Padmos Shipyard of Stellendam in the Netherlands. Virtually identical vessels, the highly manoeuvrable tugs are equipped to tow over the bow or stern and undertake plough dredging and ‘bed-levelling’ operations in rivers and estuaries.

Measuring 19.6m in length overall, with a beam of 8.20m, the tugs have a maximum draft of 4.20m. Two Mitsubishi S12R MPTAW-2 main engines are installed, delivering a total of 1,920kW at 1,600 rpm (2,575 bhp). Power is transmitted to a pair of Rolls-Royce US155FP fully azimuthing propulsion units. This arrangement gives the tugs a maximum bollard pull of 32 tonnes and maximum free running speed of 11.4 knots.

Tank spaces are provided for 34,000 litres of diesel fuel and 6,061litres of fresh water.

TSM Albatre has winches installed fore and aft with a maximum brake load of 34 tonnes. The ‘open stern’ is fitted with a substantial stern roller and a tubular ‘A’ frame to lift the plough when dredging. A hydraulically powered knuckle boom crane is located on the port side, adjacent to the winch.

The tugs are equipped with a wide, well-glazed wheelhouse mounted a little above main deck level with a very good all round field of vision. Basic provision is made for a crew of up to four persons.

Also completed in February of this year was the Macduff designed 23m twin screw tug built in Turkey by the Torgem shipyard in Tuzla. Named Ayten Cebi, the tug was ordered by Nur Gemicilik for operation in the Port of Istanbul and is equipped with the unique Mampaey DOT towing system. The vessel is intended for towing and general ports services, including operation in confined spaces and is the result of close cooperation between the designer and shipyard.

Ayten Cebi has a conventional twin screw hull of 23.00m in length overall, a moulded breadth of 8.00m, a moulded depth (amidships) of 4.25m and a loaded draft of 3.43m. The hull incorporates dedicated tank spaces for 81,374 litres of fuel, 18,115 litres of fresh water, 33,665 litres of ballast and 2,057 litres of fire fighting foam.

An important feature of this twin screw tug is the Mampaey Dynamic Oval Towing (DOT) towing system which adds significantly to the safety, controllability and, above all, flexibility in use. The oval track, surrounding the superstructure, enables the Mampaey quick release tow hook to move through 360° in all directions in a safe and controlled manner irrespective of the heading of the assisted vessel. When necessary, the hook and its carriage can be locked forward or aft during ‘non-towage’ duties by inserting a pin. The DOT system was first demonstrated in a most convincing manner at Seawork in 2008 on the workboat Ugie Runner.

Ayten Cebi is powered by two Caterpillar C32 main engines each rated 970kW at 1,800 rpm (total 2,600 bhp). The engines drive two 1,800mm diameter fixed pitch propellers, rotating in fixed nozzles via Reintjes reverse-reduction gearboxes. The result is a highly manoeuvrable tug with a bollard pull of 35 tonnes and maximum speed of 11.7 knots, exceeding the predicted performance.

In mid-2012, three very similar 23m DOT tugs were commissioned by Pacific Ocean Engineering & Trading (POET) of Singapore. The tugs named DT Harmony, DT Highway and DT Horizon were built in China and subsequently sold. DT Harmony is now part of the Pacific Marine Group fleet in Australia bearing the name PMG Harmony. The remaining sister vessels were reported sold to Smit Lamnalco Ltd, managed by Sharjah Lamnalco Ltd, Sharjah.

Macduff Ship Design has gradually expanded its range of designs to become one of the most prolific naval architect, ship design and marine consultancies in the commercial workboat and fishing vessel sectors. Since 1993 the company has worked closely with shipyards in the UK, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, Canada, Croatia, Malaysia, Turkey and Poland, either employed directly by the shipyard or the owner/operator.

The Torgem shipyard is currently working on a ‘package’ of ten vessels, ranging from a 15m general service boat, 15m pilot boat and a 25m ASD tug through to a 30m ASD tug and a 46m oil collection barge, all for a client in Saudi Arabia. All of the vessels are being built to Macduff designs and the package currently constitutes the largest contract awarded to the Scottish company.