Larger dry and liquid cargo ships using New Zealand ports has driven port operators to enhance their towage capacity with new tugs
The latest addition to New Zealand’s growing tug fleet was delivered to Lyttelton Port Co (LPC) in Q3 2019.
ASL Shipyard built the Robert Allan-designed harbour tug Piaka to a RApport 2500 design. This is a 25.2-m harbour tug with a moulded beam of 12 m and depth of 4.57 m, a maximum draught of 5.3 m and free running speed ahead and astern of 13 knots.
ASL built this tug with 78 tonnes of bollard pull to Lloyd’s Register class and compliance with New Zealand Coastal Service requirements.
Main propulsion for Piaka comprises a pair of Caterpillar 3516C diesel engines, each rated 2,240 kW at 1,800 rpm. These drive a pair of Schottel SRP 460 fixed-pitch Z-drives, with 270 cm propeller, through an Ortlinghaus slipping clutch.
Its deck machinery includes an Ibercisa hydraulic hawser split drum winch spooled with 125 m of line on each side and a single Ibercisa vertical anchor winch and a capstan on the aft deck.
LPC is the largest port on the South Island with container throughput of over 400,000 TEU annually. The new tug will service larger container ships bringing products exported from Asian nations.
Other New Zealand ports have extended their towage services with newbuildings this year.
Port of Nelson took delivery of Huria Matenga II in Q2 2019 as part of a NZ$29M (US$19M) expansion of the port to accommodate 280-m ships at the quay. This 24-m tug was built to an azimuth stern drive ASD 2411 design at Damen’s Vietnam shipyard and has 70 tonnes of bollard pull.
During Q1 2019, harbour tug Hinewai started operations at the port at Timaru on the South Island of New Zealand. PrimePort Timaru took delivery of this 25.4-m tug from Cheoy Lee Shipyards of Hong Kong. It was built to a RAmparts 2500-CL design with the hull and skeg adapted for improved manoeuvring and side-stepping capabilities.
In addition, the Port of Auckland became an industry leader with the first order for an electric-driven harbour tug in August. Damen Shipyards is building a reverse stern drive tug, to a RSD-E 2513 design with 70 tonnes of bollard pull for Auckland operations.
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