New Terminal Tugs Romulo and Remo are Ahead of Schedule.

Once in service the tugs will give a significant boost to towage services at the port where tankers regularly call at two oil jetties and a single buoy mooring (SBM).

Also using the commercial port are bulkers of 30.000-160.000dwt and car carriers of 50.000dwt.

The tugs will also provide emergency response services in the adjacent coastal waters of the Mediterranean. The construction process is currently one month ahead of schedule and the first tug, Romulo , is due to run its first trials before the end of December with Remo following about three months later.

Powered by two MAN B&W 7L27/38 main engines, generating a total of 4,760bhp, Romulo andits sister ship will employ a pair of Steerprop SP 35 azimuthing propulsion units. The Steerprop units are of the latest type incorporating improved construction, sealing and new high performance nozzles.

Predicted performance figures show a bollard pull of 81 tonnes ahead and 78 tonnes astern, with a maximum free running speed of 13.5 knots.

Both tugs will be comprehensively fitted out for tanker handling and escort duties, fire fighting and oil recovery.

The vessels will measure 33.5m in length overall with a beam of 12m and draft (moulded) of 4.3m.

A semi-raised foredeck, long box keel and skeg will be incorporated in the hull design and a Jastram bow thruster will be installed to enhance manoeuvrability.

Romulo and Remo will be equipped with a forward winch for shiphandling and escort work with a 115 tonnes line pull and 200 tonnes maximum brake load and a winch on the after deck for towage at sea. Other equipment will include a hydraulic deck crane, Karmoy line handling equipment, a stern roller and provision to transport a 20 foot ISO container. The fire fighting system, designed to meet FiFi 1 standards, will have one high capacity fire pump of 2700m 3/hr driven by one main engine, leaving the other free for manoeuvring.

A comprehensive navigational and communications equipment package supplied by Simrad will meet GMDSS Area 3 requirements and Promartec automatic positioning system will give single-lever ‘Joystick’ control of main propulsion and bowthruster.

It is hoped that a more detailed account of these new vessels will be published in Maritime Journal at a later date.