Engines and thrusters delivered for US Navy tugs

Dakota Creek Industries’ shipyard is building six YT 808-class tugs for the US Navy, with the first delivered in October 2020.

These 27.4-m tugs will be the first vessels in the US Navy’s fleet to meet US Environmental Protection Agency’s Tier 4 diesel engine emission regulations, each powered with a pair of Caterpillar 3512E engines rated at 1,350 kW each.

This represented a 12-engine order for the US original manufacturer and 12-thruster order for Schottel. Each tug newbuilding will have two Schottel SRP 340 fixed-pitch Z-drive thrusters providing a top speed of 12.5 knots and an anticipated bollard pull of 40 tonnes.

“The proven performance and reliability of the 3512E engines will ensure the YT 808 tugs are ready to perform their mission of assisting US Navy ships and submarines in and out of port,” said Caterpillar Marine governmental technical lead Scott Roberts.

The Cat 3512E engines will reduce emissions at the naval installations where these tugs will operate. They will replace the US Navy’s 45-55-year-old YTB class tugs at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Maine and in the Pacific northwest.

US Navy’s first YT 808 is conducting its vessel handling missions at Naval Base Kitsap in the Puget Sound.

Mr Roberts said Caterpillar will support the onboard engines with services to maintain performance and prevent downtime. “With digital solutions, customers can monitor engine health and review engine history data and early warning signs to allow proper intervention before failure,” he said.

YT 808 tugs will have heavy duty hawser winches and render blocks supplied by JonRie InterTech and a series of heavy duty capstans with 45,360 kg of bollard capacity.

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