Tidewater expands ATB oil transportation fleet

Tidewater Canada subsidiary Island Tug and Barge (ITB) has started operating its newest articulated tug-barge (ATB) unit in response to rising demand for oil transportation in western Canada.

It has paired new ATB tug Island Regent with double-hulled oil tank barge ITB Reliant to begin transporting refined petroleum products along the coast of British Columbia.

It was built at ITB’s Annacis Island Shipyard, along the Fraser River in British Columbia and completed by Nichols Brothers Boat Builders at Whidbey Island, in Washington State, US.

This tug-barge combination is similar to the first new ATB unit, Island Raider tug and ITB Resolution barge, which started operations in Q4 2018.

At the naming ceremony in June, Tidewater president and chief executive Bob Curcio said Island Regent and ITB Reliant “represent a significant milestone in ITB’s capabilities to serve our customers better than ever”.

These 24-m tugs were designed by Robert Allan and each has 1,268 kW of power.

Robert Allan said ITB “had a well-defined statement of requirements for the vessels and a clear vision of the desired layout”.

Partway through construction, ITB was acquired by Tidewater Transportation and Terminals, with the vessel’s completion falling under the direction of Tidewater’s engineering department, supported by Robert Allan.

Island Regent is equipped with two Cummins KTA38M engines, which each develop 634 kW at 1,800 rpm. These power two Kongsberg US105 fixed-pitch azimuth thrusters through carbon fibre shafts. These Z-drives have four-bladed and 160-cm diameter propellers in nozzles.

ITB president Adrian Samuel said these vessels “exceed all regulatory and industry established standards of operation, while providing efficiency and reliability to our clients.”

Island Regent is fitted into the notch of the barge and connected using an Articouple FRC 35S pin and coupler. It has a fully loaded speed of 10 knots.

In the engineroom are two John Deere 4045 AFM85 generators, producing 99 kW of electrical power. In the wheelhouse there is JRC-supplied radar, electronic chart display and weather station and the automatic identification system. Plus, Alphatron Marine bridge navigation watch alarm system, magnetic compass, repeater swing meter and Sailor VHF radio.

Island Regent has Sika vibration and sound dampening floors, Norac wall and ceiling panelling and fully heated and air-conditioned accommodation for up to eight people in six cabins.

 

Island Regent particulars

Owner: Island Tug and Barge

Builder: ITB/Nichols Brothers Boat Builders

Designer: Robert Allan

Type: ATB tug

Operations: British Columbia

Length, oa: 24.9 m

Beam, moulded: 12.5 m

Depth: 3.65 m

Draught: 3.3 m

GT: 384

Fuel oil tank: 99.8 m³

Engines: 2 x Cummins KTA38M

Fully loaded speed: 10 knots

Propulsion: 2 x US105 FP Z-drives