New ASD and RSD electric tugs will be ready in 2024 for low-emissions harbour towage
Damen Shipyards has taken on the future trends towards decarbonising harbour vessels and continues to deliver tugs to clients rapidly, on demand. This Dutch group is known for shipbuilding with standardisation and serial production, while being a leader in developing sustainability and digitalisation.
Damen uses its shipbuilding and repair facilities worldwide to build tugboats for its own operations and stock so it can rapidly meet owners’ requirements. Its designs are used globally to produce the most advanced tugs, including the first all-electric harbour tug in the southern hemisphere, Sparky, now operating in New Zealand.
Lessons from construction at the Damen Song Cam Shipyard in Vietnam, and the expected demand for more sustainable towage, have led Damen to build more reverse stern drive (RSD) and azimuth stern drive (ASD) tugs with electric-hybrid propulsion.
Damen is building an RSD-E 2513 tug, and an onshore charging system for its own stock, with a short delivery time if an owner purchases this.
Damen has long-standing relationships with suppliers to ensure long-lead time equipment, such as engines and gearboxes, are delivered swiftly due its constant stream of orders.
Damen Shipyards product portfolio manager for sustainable tugs, Jean-Pierre Stevens says the first RSD-E 2513 will have 80 tonnes of bollard pull, the first ASD-E 1810 design will have 40 tonnes and ASD-E 2111 tug, 60 tonnes of bollard pull. Batteries on these tugs will have DNV- and Bureau Veritas-classed Toshiba lithium-titanium oxide batteries that can be easily charged and last the life of the tug.
“With Sparky, we can do 36,500 cycles. This is 33 years based on three cycles per day of recharging and Damen will give 15 years with a guarantee of 18,250 cycles,” says Mr Stevens.
Developments in the tugboat fleet and stock options are part of Damen’s sustainability policy, which was integrated into the company’s overall business strategy in 2022. This was achieved by establishing a Damen five-year plan and incorporating new policies for human rights, diversity, equality and inclusion.
Damen is also working actively on sustainability across the full spectrum of its product range, including research and development of methanol-fuelled tugs with batteries and other vessels with hydrogen power.
It has partnered with Boluda Towage to develop, build and deploy these tugs for low- and zero-emissions ship handling in European ports. The first of these RSD-E tugboats will be built in Vietnam for operations in 2024.
Damen group chief executive Arnout Damen says this is a new chapter in European towage and for the group. “Not only is this project in keeping with our own values, we aim to give added momentum to the transition to sustainable harbour towage as the benefits that both electric- and methanol-driven vessels deliver will be there for all to see,” he says. “To aid this process, we are already building RSD-E 2513 tugs for stock and a number will be available for delivery in 2024 and 2025.”
Damen’s shipyard in Galati, Romania passed a milestone this year when it marked 130 years of operation. Situated on the banks of the Danube, the Galati yard first opened its gates in 1893. It started building hulls for Damen, including tugs and workboats, in 1994 and has been part of the group since 1999. It has delivered more than 500 vessels since then.
Damen’s latest deliveries include an ASD tug and two RSD vessels for Fairplay Towage; an RSD, Ntamo, and two ASD tugs, Al Wasl 3 and Mihaiz, to P&O Maritime Logistics; and Jumeira 10 is sailing to the Middle East from the Vietnamese shipyard.
WUZ Port and Maritime Services took delivery of two ASD tugs, Ares and Mars, from Damen; while Boluda Towage welcomed ASD 2312 tug VB Rhyno to its fleet; Somat took delivery of Matador in Italy; ASD tug Jacquas was delivered in Morocco to Société Chérifienne de Remorquage et d’Assistance; and Muller Dordrecht added ASD 3212 tug En Avant 25 in the Netherlands.
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