Master Boat Builders has delivered the first of Robert Allan’s RApport 2600 design of harbour tugs
The first of a new series of harbour tugs was delivered in November 2022 to a US owner investing in newbuilds to enhance ship handling in US Gulf coast ports.
Master Boat Builders (MBB) has completed Hayden Grace for Bay-Houston Towing Co, as part of a construction programme at its shipyard in Coden, Alabama.
Its delivery is a milestone for all involved as it is the first vessel built to Robert Allan Ltd’s (RAL) newly developed RApport 2600 tug design.
According to the naval architects, this tug design features a flush main deck, low-emissions propulsion systems and heavy-duty fendering.
RAL architects worked with Bay-Houston Towing Co to customise the design for a 26-m harbour tug, with a beam of around 12 m and a draught of 4.6 m, to suit the specific operations in the Houston, Texas, area and ports.
Hayden Grace has main engines that comply with US Environmental Protection Agency Tier 4 and IMO Tier III standards for emissions. It has two Caterpillar-manufactured Cat 3512E HD engines, driving two Schottel Rudderpropellers of type SRP 430, and a selective catalytic reduction unit.
During sea trials, Hayden Grace demonstrated its power by achieving a bollard pull of 52.5 tonnes and a speed over 12.5 knots.
On the working deck there is machinery for towing and manoeuvring ships and providing emergency back-up when required. The main working deck is forward and consists of a single-drum, high-performance hawser winch and an A-staple, while there is an H-bitt on the aft deck for emergency towing.
“During sea trials, Hayden Grace demonstrated its power by achieving a bollard pull of 52.5 tonnes”
Hayden Grace has large-diameter cylindrical fenders and W-shaped fenders installed all around the hull and accommodation with a comfortable rest environment for six seafarers. There are two single-crew cabins, a galley, mess and communal sanitary facilities arranged in the deckhouse. The lower quarter has two double cabins, storage rooms and service spaces.
In the wheelhouse there are control consoles and other navigational equipment, while its large windows offer 360-degree visibility, with excellent views of the working deck.
“Visibility around and upwards is important as tugs operate under the bow of ships, which is a demanding job for masters,” said MBB president Garrett Rice. Some of the latest harbour and escort tugs are expected to assist container ships of more than 15,000 TEU, or very large crude carriers, so they need to have almost total glass around the pilothouse for maximum visibility.
Bay-Houston Towing ordered this tug and two others as part of its fleet renewal plan. MBB will be building five more tugs to this design, two for Bay-Houston Towing and three for another US-based owner, Suderman & Young, with deliveries scheduled for 2023 and 2024.
“Tugboat owners continuously need to replenish their fleets to be sustainable and need new harbour tugs built to support new LNG terminals and projects,” said Mr Rice.
“The harbour tug fleet in the US is ageing and ships coming to ports are larger, so more propulsion power is needed. It is a steady business that continues to be sustainable.”
Hayden Grace particulars
Owner: Bay-Houston Towing
Area of operations: US Gulf coast
Builder: Master Boat Builders
Designer: Robert Allan Ltd
Design: RApport 2600
Class: ABS
Length, oa: 26 m
Beam: 12 m
Draught: 4.6 m
Total payload: 200 tonnes
Bollard pull: 52.5 tonnes
Speed: 12.5 knots
Main engines: 2 x Cat 3512E HD
Propulsion: 2 x Schottel SRP 430
Accommodation: 6
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