Ultratug expands escort tug fleet with Chilean newbuild 

Ultratug has taken delivery of ship-escorting tugboat Conguillio to join its growing fleet. This azimuth stern drive tug was built by Asenav at its shipyard on the Calle Calle River, Chile, as newbuild 192 to Robert Allan Ltd’s RAstar 3200-W design on speculation, and sold to Ultratug on completion.

This 32-m tug is classed by Lloyd’s Register as an escort tug with a FiFi1 fire-fighting system with a water spray, unmanned machinery spaces and in-water inspection.

It has a beam of 13 m, a moulded depth of around 5 m, a maximum draught of 6 m, a bollard pull of 80 tonnes, a top speed of 13 knots, and accommodation for 10 crew.

Ultratug celebrated the arrival of Conguillio on 23 October before it was deployed to operate around Punta Arenas and Magellan Strait for ship towage and emergency response. “We look forward to many successful voyages and achievements with Conguillio as part of our growing fleet,” says the Santiago, Chile-headquartered owner.

Propulsion consists of twin Rolls Royce’s mtu two main 4000M65L engines with 16 cylinders in V formation, each developing 2,560 kW at 1,800 rpm, driving Kongsberg US 255S azimuth thrusters, each with a fixed-pitch propeller of 2,800 mm diameter. These engines are linked to a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) module for compliance with IMO Tier III emissions standards. Electrical power comes from two Progener gensets each producing 136 kWe at 1,500 rpm.

Conguillio is outfitted with equipment for towing, escorting, manoeuvring and docking ships and tackling emergency situations. Its misting systems would protect this tug if it had to approach a vessel during an explosion or fire.