China completes first intelligent tugs

Jiangsu Zhenjiang Shipyard has delivered China’s first intelligent tugboats and the nation’s most powerful port tug.

On 20 May, Jiangsu Zhenjiang Shipyard delivered two azimuth stern drive (ASD) tugs to Tianjin Port Tug Co – the first vessels built to have the China classification society CCS’ notation of Intelligence.

Jin Gang Lun 31 and Jin Gang Lun 32 each have systems for monitoring fuel and vibrations. Their cabin and equipment arrangement also meet the new rule requirement.

CCS’ Intelligence notation applies to technology deployed to lower emissions, vibration, noise and energy.

Jiangsu Zhenjiang Shipyard said the delivery of these two intelligent tugs “symbolises a substantial breakthrough in upgrading from automation to intelligentisation in Chinese ASD tugboats”.

At the end of April, the shipyard delivered its most powerful ASD tugboat to date. This tug was built with 5,220 kW of installed power for Zhanjiang Port Petro Terminal Co. This tugboat also has fire-fighting systems that meet class notation of FiFi2.

Jiangsu Zhenjiang Shipyard said this tugboat also had energy-saving, emissions- and noise-reducing technology but not the CCS Intelligence notation.

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Jiangsu Zhenjiang Shipyard is busy with series of tugboat orders. It is building 11 pusher vessels for COSCO Shipping Bulk Transportation. Construction of the first seven pusher tugs was started in March 2019. These tugs will each have 2,685 kW of power for pushing full and empty barges along rivers in Guinea.

Zhenjiang Shipyard is also constructing four azimuth stern drive tugboats, each with maximum power of 4,475 kW, for Chinese tug operator Liaoning Longyun Shunze Tug.