Damen introduces new harbour tug design

Innovation is a reversed stern drive tugboat that combines tractor and azimuth stern drive elements for compact operations in restricted harbours

Damen Shipyards has built the first of a new type of harbour tug that has two bows and is highly manoeuvrable. Innovation is a reversed stern drive (RSD) tugboat that combines elements of tractor tugs and azimuth stern drive (ASD) units.

This 25 m tug is of a RSD Tug 2513 design and has a patented twin-fin skeg. Damen designed Innovation with 13 m beam, which is wider than other tugs of this size for improved stability, and 5.5 m draught. It said the tug is equally effective at assisting ships from its bow and stern depending on vessel requirements. To aid this, it has cylinder and block fendering at the bow and D-shaped fenders on the side and aft.

Innovation has a bollard pull of 75 tonnes ahead and 71 tonnes astern for towage. It also has a maximum speed ahead of 13 knots and slightly less, 12.8 knots, astern.

Damen Shipyards group product manager for tugs Dirk Degroote explained to Tug Technology & Business last year that this tug was designed for compact operations in and around harbours and terminals, without any loss in power or towage performance within restricted waters (TTB, Q2 2017).

Innovation has a higher freeboard than is usual on a tugboat of this size, which improves safety and stability. It also has shatterproof glass around the wheelhouse to protect crew and glued superstructure to counter noise and vibration.

Its main propulsion comes from two MTU 4000 series M63L engines that have 16 valves and each produce 2,240 kW at 1,800 rpm. These drive Rolls-Royce US255 thrusters with 2.7 m diameter propellers.

Additional power comes from two Caterpillar C4.4TA generator sets that produce 81 kVA, 400/230 V at 50 Hz frequency. Also in the engineroom are Azcue bilge, fuel and service pumps. Damen has introduces a remote monitoring system for its engineroom machinery.

“Enabling captains to deal with the highly demanding operations of today in a safe manner”

Mr Degroote said the hull was optimised through extensive computational fluid dynamics calculations in combination with model tests for validation. “This results in a very agile, but predictable sailing behaviour, enabling captains to deal with the highly demanding operations of today in a safe manner,” he said.

Deck equipment on Innovation includes a hydraulic towage winch that has a split drum and can deliver a pull of 31 tonne at up to 11 m/min or a reduced pull at up to 38 m/min. It has a 175-tonne brake. There is also an electrically-driven anchor winch that operates up to 10 m/min and a 360 kg anchor.

Damen designed this tug with accommodation for four crew with sound absorbing ceiling material in the wheelhouse and floating floors. There is a captain’s cabin, chief engineer’s cabin, one double crew cabin, pantry, mess/dayroom and sanitary facilities.

In the wheelhouse, Furuno Electric supplied a FAR-1518-BB radar, FE-800 echosounder, DS-80 speedlog, Navtex and Automatic Identification System equipment. There is also a Cassens & Plath Reflecta 11 compass, Simrad AP-70 autopilot, GN70 satellite compass and Simrad GPS. Jotron supplied the safety devices, which include a Tron-60S emergency position indicating radio beacon and a search and rescue transponder.

Unusually for tugs, Innovation’s communications includes a VSAT that includes an Intellian v60G antenna that operates over Inmarsat’s Global Xpress network. Cobham Satcom supplied two Sailor 6222 VHF radio and Jotron supplied hand-held VHF. In mid-April, Damen was touring Innovation in the Mediterranean as part of its marketing strategy for its new RSD Tug 2513 design.

Innovation Particulars

Design: RSD 2513

Built: April 2018

Builder: Damen Shipyards

Owner: Damen Marine Services

Flag: The Netherlands

Class: Bureau Veritas

Length, oa: 25 m

Beam, oa: 13 m

Draught: 5.5 m

Displacement: 525 tonnes

Bollard pull ahead: 75 tonnes

Bollard pull astern: 71 tonnes

Speed ahead: 13 knots

Speed astern: 12.8 knots

 

Propulsion system

Main engines: 2 x MTU 16V 4000 M63L

Total power: 4,480 kW at 1,800 rpm

Thrusters: 2 x Rolls-Royce US255

Diameter: 2.700 mm

Generator sets: 2 x Caterpillar C4.4TA

Performance: 81 kVA, 400.230 V 50 Hz