Towlines - May 2009 | News | Maritime Journal

Batteries in Maritime	Autonomy at Sea	Alternative Fuels	Tugs, Towing & Salvage

Examining the growing role of batteries in maritime, questioning their green credentials while exploring industry insights, operator experiences and lessons learned from early electric vessel adoption worldwide.	Highlighting the innovators advancing subsea and maritime technology, from autonomous underwater swarms to cloud-connected assets and data-driven predictive models, reshaping how real-time conditions at sea are understood globally today.	Exploring one of the workboat sector’s dilemmas today: which emerging fuels hold the most promise in terms of cost, availability, practicality and performance? Or should we simply clean up the Black Gold?	Looking at how tugs, towing and salvage vessels are adapting to stricter regulations; contemplating new propulsion technologies and alternative fuels; and changing design strategies for one of maritime’s most demanding sectors.
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Seawork 15th - 17th June 2027	Speed@Seawork 14th June 2027	Seawork Conferences

The 28th edition of Europe’s largest commercial marine and workboat exhibition provides businesses the opportunity to showcase their services, equipment, vessels and supplies to an international audience.	Speed@Seawork on 14th June in Cowes offers a sector specific event that showcases fast vessels operating at high speed for security interventions and Search & Rescue.	Taking place at the annual Seawork Exhibition in Southampton, UK from 15–17 June 2027, Seawork Conferences deliver a varied programme of sessions featuring expert speakers addressing the latest topical issues in the commercial marine industry.
Visit the Seawork Website	Speed@Seawork on the Seawork Website	View on Seawork

The Panama Canal Authority has introduced a further five new Z-Tech tugs to its fleet of dedicated tugs used to assist ships transiting the waterway.

'Bocas del Toro', one of an earlier batch of Z-Tech tugs, will eventually become part of a 46 tug fleet for the Panama Canal.

This latest batch, built by Cheoy Lee Shipyards Ltd, join eight Z-Techs put into service between 2006 and 2008.

An additional 13 60-ton bollard pull tugs of the same basic design have been ordered from Cheoy Lee, with delivery commencing in 2010. By 2014 the Panama Canal fleet will comprise some 46 tugs.

Dr Jens Erk Bartels has been appointed director for marketing and sales for Schottel GmbH in Spay, Germany, a leading manufacturer of azimuthing propulsion units. Dr Bartels will be well known by many readers in his former post as managing director of Voith Turbo Schneider Propulsion. He left Voith at the end of 2008 after18 years of service, during which he oversaw many advances in Voith Schneider cycloidal propeller and tractor tug designs.

The Holyhead Towing Co Ltd has taken delivery of the new multi-purpose work vessel Dulas Island, a standard Eurocarrier 2510 from Neptune Shipyard BV at Aalst in the Netherlands. Measuring 25.85m in length overall, 9.55m beam and 2.85m draft, the vessel is powered by two Cummins KTA 38 M2 main engines generating 2,600bhp. These give the vessel a bollard pull of 28 tons and speed of 11 knots.

The Japanese built Iwaki Maru was purchased by J P Knight (Caledonian) Ltd in early April following trials in Yokohama. Completed in 2008, the 36m ASD tug is powered by Yanmar main engines producing a total of approximately 7,000bhp to drive Kawasaki Rexpeller propulsion units. This arrangement gives the vessel a bollard pull (ahead) of 86 tons and a maximum speed of over 14 knots. The tug has been renamed Kestrel and is now on route to Britain following minor modifications and preparations for the delivery voyage.