Shoalbusters Galore

To report on every delivery is impossible but a few words on a recent rash on new deliveries and future developments are appropriate at this time.One of the most recent deliveries from Damen Shipyards, Hardinxveld, the yard responsible for Shoalbuster construction and development, is the

Janette B

. This Shoalbuster 2208 was completed in April for HVS Dredging Support BV and is now employed by contractors engaged in the new port development at Great Yarmouth. One of the smaller vessels in the present range,

Janette B

is 22.35m in length and powered by two Caterpillar 3412D TTA diesels generating 1,696bhp to produce a 23.1 ton bollard pull.

Earlier in the year Dutch brokers and tug owners Sea Contractors BV took delivery of the Sea Alfa, a vessel at the larger end of the range, it is a Shoalbuster 3009 with a bollard pull of 48.6 tons. Sea Alfa is now operating with the giant crane barge Svanen on a wind farm project in Liverpool Bay.

Sea Contractors recently signed a contract with Damen for the completion of the first new Shoalbuster 3209. This will be the largest Shoalbuster to date and has, predictably, been allocated the name Sea Bravo. The hull for this latest development has been ‘in stock’ on moorings at Gorinchem for some weeks. Work to fit out this vessel will start shortly in the workshops at Gorinchem (it is too large for the Hardinxveldt yard) and delivery is expected to take place at the end of the year. Caterpillar 3512 B TA engines producing a total of 3,344bhp will be installed and the predicted performance is a bollard pull of 42 tons and maximum speed of 11.6 knots.

Another Shoalbuster 3009 is due be completed towards the end of 2008 for Engelsman Towage & Salvage of Makkum in the Netherlands. The hull, already bearing the name Statum, was towed from Poland to the Netherlands at the end of April for fitting out, trials and delivery.

The Shoalbuster 2609, the first of the true seagoing tugs in the range, remains popular. One of the most recent deliveries, named Shoalbuster, went to the growing Irish company Sinbad Marine Services at the end of March. Dutch towage contractors ITC took over their 2609m, Mistral, late in 2007. During bollard pull trials the tug achieved 31 tons, much to the delight of the owners, who all most immediately contracted the vessel to Titan Maritime to support the New Flame wreck removal operation off Gibraltar.

At the time of writing the second tug of the Shoalbuster 2707 design was due for due for delivery at the end of May. The first of the Bever series, which is slightly longer than the 2609 to make provision for more powerful engines, went to Viegers & Son Tugboat Services last year. This latest delivery, named MTS Valiant, is expected to produce a bollard pull of at least 40 tons and is already earmarked to support a wind farm project under the auspices of Sea Contractors.