Tug delivered by container

Marine civil engineering, port construction and dredging operations often have requirements for attendant small tugs and workboats. Handling floating plant, barges and floating pipelines are typical tasks for these types of vessels. There are also of course situations where a small tug may be required but may not be a part of the local scene and available to those involved.

On these occasions, such vessels may be delivered either by sea, as deck load on conventional cargo carriers or even by road. The best known and standard means of transporting freight is of course the standard ISO container and the ContainerTug 600S, developed by BEN3D b.v. Naval Architecture and OSO Shipbuilding Werkendam is able to be transported as a single unit which is in effect a 20ft container, albeit without the usual container sides etc. The 6m, single propeller tug incorporates integrated corner fittings allowing for delivery to site by virtually all standard modes of transport. The wheelhouse can be demounted and transported on the tug’s afterdeck, remaining within the confines of the container’s dimensions.

Applications for the ContainerTug 600S are listed as: support, towing, pushing and environmental control. Basic building material is Grade A steel, the wheelhouse top part constructed from aluminium. Length overall is 6.06m, breadth overall 2.44m, depth (during transportation) is 2.59m and 3.55m with the wheelhouse fitted.

Draft is 1m and dry weight 6.8 tons. The hull comprises three compartments with Freeman deck hatches and the wheelhouse is fitted with safety glazing. For towing duties a towing bitt is included as standard with the option for fitting a towing hook. Two options are listed for the choice of machinery. Option A utilises a Volvo Penta D5A TA diesel developing 121hp at 1,900 rpm. A ZF 200 gearbox transmits power via an oil lubricated propeller shaft to a 28” fixed pitch propeller. Fuel capacity is listed as 850 litres and bollard pull 1.2 tons with a speed of six knots.

Option B sees a slightly more powerful machinery installation with a Doosan L066TI diesel developing 180hp at 2,200 rpm. A Dong I-DMT 70TF gearbox is included in this option with the same propeller, speed and fuel capacity specifications as with Option A: bollard pull for the Doosan powered version is 1.5 tons. On board equipment includes: a 200Ah battery; bilge pump; VHF, engine driven 55Ah alternator; LED navigation lights and optional searchlight and flush-mounted fender eyes. The company are also offering a ContainerTug 600D twin-screw version. Building of the first Volvo powered ContainerTug 600 at the OSO yard in Werkendam commenced in May this year with completion scheduled for September.

By Peter Barker