Order and delivery round-up

All but one of the deliveries are from European-owned shipyards and include a Rotortug tailored to handle aircraft carriers and another example of Russian-built series tugs. Three orders are reported illustrating the global reach of Damen but we start with a look at six deliveries from the Dutch shipbuilder.

UK-based Serco provides support for the Royal Navy at a number of naval bases and dockyards, dominated by no fewer than 30 Damen-built vessels. Vessel number 31 is the ART 80-32 Rotortug SD Tempest, purpose-built to support the two new Royal Navy ‘Queen Elizabeth’ class aircraft carriers. The first is due to arrive at Portsmouth (where both carriers and SD Tempest will be based) later this year.

The 32m long tug is a Robert Allan Ltd design with a bollard pull of 80t and features of note include: CP propellers rather than the usual FP type, a double-drum render/recovery winch aft, foldable mast and grey fendering.

Italian Ocean S.r.l. has welcomed its first Damen tug in the Stan Tug 2608 Bat, for harbour towage operations in Monfalcone and Porto Nogaro in the Adriatic Sea. The contract signing in Milan was attended by King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima of The Netherlands as part of a recent state visit to Italy. The 45tbp tug has a winch aft in addition to the standard forward installation, also a 600m3/hr fifi capability and modifications to comply with Italian flag requirements.

Staying in Italy, March 2017 MJ reported on delivery of Germania, an ASD Tug 2913 for Rimorchiatori Riuniti. The Genoa-based company has now taken delivery of Danimarca, another ASD Tug 2913 along with Columbia, a smaller ASD Tug 2411. Aft winch, fifi installation, oil recovery and escort capabilities are included in the specification of the 80tbp Danimarca and while a more compact design, Columbia offers little compromise with 70tbp and joins sister-vessel Malta in Genoa.

Another ASD Tug 2411, from Damen’s Vietnam yard is now in service for Saam Smit Towage at the Panamanian port of Colón. SST Portobelo joins the 11-strong Saam Smit fleet in the port including other Damen examples and offers 70 tonnes bollard pull. The contract is an example of where subsidiary Damen Trading can offer facilities for sealing deals with the trading in of an older tug in part exchange for the new one.

Ninety percent of Iran’s crude oil exports are handled at the Khor Al Amaya oil terminals and tug operator Jawar Al Khaleej Shipping is in the process of taking two Damen ASD Tug 3212s and a Damen Fast Crew Supplier into service. Jawar Faw and Jawar Um Qasr will each provide 85tbp, joining two existing Damen tugs in the fleet.

The final Damen delivery to report involves a pair of ASD Tug 2913s for Panama-based Meyer’s Group. Arcangel San Gabriel and Arcangel San Rafael are virtually identical examples of this escort-classed tug and offer 81tbp from twin Caterpillar main engines. A diesel-driven pump supplies two fifi monitors forward each with a water/foam capacity of 1,200m3/hr.

A newbuild tug order contract of significance is now complete with delivery of Pax and Audax from Spanish builder Gondan for Østensjø Rederi. These second and third of three vessels claim the accolade of the first dual-fuel tugs built in Europe. The 40m long, 107tbp (167t steering force) vessels are to a Robert Allan Ltd design and will serve Statoil’s terminal at Melkøya under severe weather conditions including -20’. IMO Tier III emissions standards are met through use of LNG in most operations.

Turkish tug builder Sanmar is never far from the news, MJ’s recent Tugnology ’17 review reporting on the signing of an order for a Bogacay class tug for UK towage company Targe Towing Limited. Bogacay XXVI (since renamed Kittiwake) has now been delivered and is in service mainly in Scottish east coast ports. The 24m long vessel has a bollard pull of 60t, free-running speed of 13 knots and deck equipment includes a DMT winch forward.

Another Turkish yard, Uzmar Workboat and Tug Factory has reported delivery of two tugs to International Offshore Engineering and Development Company. The vessels were built on speculation and have now joined a number of other Uzmar-built tugs operating in Venezuela’s major oil ports. The 25m long tugs are powered by Caterpillar main engines and Schottel propulsion units providing 60tbp with Ibercisa supplying the combined anchor and towing winch.

The final delivery to report takes us to Russia’s Pella Shipyard where Agar the latest in the yard’s 90600 tug project has been delivered to what is believed to be domestic owners. The 25m long, ice-classed vessel has multipurpose capabilities with power provided by Caterpillar main engines (2,228kw total) and Rolls-Royce FPP Z-drives.

Looking now at orders placed in recent weeks, all three involve vessels from Damen Shipyards, their destinations illustrating the global presence of this prolific shipbuilder. A contract has been signed with Saqr Port, part of Rask Al Khaimah Ports UAE for an ASD 2913 tug, to be built at nearby Albwardy Damen Shipyard in Sharjah. To be delivered in mid-2018 the 80tbp tug will arrive in time for the new bulk terminal operational at Saqr Port in that year.

Port Autonome de Papeete on the Pacific island of Tahiti has ordered a Damen ASD Tug 2810 to provide additional assistance to what is an increasingly busy port handling a broad range of vessels. The vessel is being supplied from stock by Damen’s Vietnam facility and currently being outiftted to French regulations with modifications including an extra aft winch and fifi installation.

By Peter Barker