Tug news – round-up to June 2023

The first Multi Cat delivery to report involves the first of a new class of the versatile workboat for Damen Marine Services, the division of Damen Shipyards that offers its vessels for charter both fully crewed and bareboat.

The Multi Cat workboat range is known for its shallow draught and this latest marque designated Multi Cat 3313SD and named DMS Snipe has a draught of less than two metres, described by Damen as “an exceptional achievement for a 33-metre vessel”.

This latest model continues Damen’s theme of “the Swiss Army knife of workboats”, with the usual range of equipment including two deck cranes, anchor winch and towing pins. The pontoon-shaped hull provides “exceptional” deck space for its length, lending it to operation in shallow waters including construction, anchor-handling and dredging support.

The vessel is now part of DMS’s Arabian Gulf fleet, with clients including oil and gas majors led by Aramco. Dredging and marine construction companies are also potential customers for services including anchor-handling and the supplying of fresh water and fuel to offshore installations. Albwardy Damen shipyard in UAE provides facilities for DMS to resupply and maintain its vessels.

A specification sheet for the Multi Cat 3313SD should provide more detail but early information states that while IMO Tier III compliance is not yet a requirement in the Gulf, the necessary pipework, foundations and other equipment is already in place on DMS Snipe for future installation of Damen’s Marine NOx Reduction System.

Expansion into Europe

The second Multi Cat delivery involves the 2309 variant Ocean Energy, aimed at expansion into the European market with a special focus on the fast-growing offshore renewables sector for Ireland-based marine services company Atlantic Towage & Marine Ltd.

To optimise the craft for its role a larger HS Marine AKC185 HE4 deck crane forward has been included with an AK34 crane aft with Kongsberg supplying a DP1 system synchronising twin screws aft and a bow thruster. Deck equipment also includes anchor-handling, towing and tugger winches and accommodation is provided for up to seven persons in five cabins.

Ocean Energy is IMO Tier II compliant and as with DMS Snipe is pre-prepared for retrofitting Damen’s NOx reduction system using selective catalytic reduction technology to raise it to Tier III standards. The hull and superstructure were completed at Damen Shipyards Koźle with fitting out completed at its Gorinchem, Netherlands facility.

Atlantic Towage operates a fleet of 10 tugs, dive support vessels and workboats and Ocean Energy’s first assignment was assisting with cable installation work in Danish waters.

More orders for Sanmar

Buksér og Berging AS is a long-term client for Sanmar and at a time when the Turkish shipyard is constructing its eighth vessel for the customer, an emissions-free electric powered ElectRA 2200 SX tug, the Norwegian tug owner has ordered vessel number nine, a RAmparts 2400 SX MkII design from the drawing board of Robert Allan Ltd.

This latest vessel will have a LOA of 24.4m on a beam of 12m and draught 5.45m, and will be powered by Caterpillar 3512E main engines producing 3,802kW in total at 1,800rpm driving Kongsberg US205S controllable-pitch thrusters. Performance figures include 12.5kn and 60tbp for the escort-capable tug and deck equipment will include a Palfinger PK 11001MA deck crane, Karmøy winches forward and aft and a Triplex tow pin.

Ports of Jersey is a subsidiary of the Jersey Government, and as well as operating the Channel Islands port of St Helier and Jersey’s marinas is making a growing name for itself as an operator of Damen Shoalbusters in the wider commercial market.

The newbuild SB2609 Duke of Normandy joined the fleet in 2005, followed by the SB2711 Duchess in 2021. Its Shoalbuster fleet has now increased to three with the addition of the six-year-old SB3209 Elisa. The vessel (previously named Isa) is currently listed as owned by ISA Towage BV and Ports of Jersey says it will spend most of its time in northern Europe supporting marine projects “as part of the Landfall fleet”. Duke of Normandy and Duchess are also listed as part of Netherlands-based Landfall Marine Contractors BV fleet of managed vessels.