US owners seek clean, efficient tugs

MBB has also built two Rotortugs – Nike and Hermes – for Seabulk and is in the middle of major construction campaigns for Bay Houston and Suderman & Young, with the first of these scheduled for delivery Q4 2022, all RAL designed. “It has been a very interesting year and a half,” says Mr Rice. 

“Tugboat owners continuously need to replenish their fleets to be sustainable and need new harbour tugs built to support new LNG terminals and projects,” he explains. 

“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.” 

But there are challenges to overcome in terms of project execution and delivery, with supply chains stretched and lead times lengthened. 

“It is taking longer to get engines and generator sets from manufacturers. What was once 38 weeks has become 58-60 weeks,” says Mr Rice. “This stretches build times, as for tugs, we need to get the engines in early in the build, as they are below the accommodation in the centre of the boat.” 

As equipment comes from North America and Europe, some suppliers are challenged to meet delivery times set by newbuild programmes. “We are working with dealers and manufacturers to improve this for critical items, but what was 15 months, from steel cut to delivery, is now 18 months,” says Mr Rice. “It is almost impossible to deliver within 15 months because of lead times for engines and other machinery.”  

This is a growing trend, although some suppliers are working faster to shorten delivery times. Tug owners need to consider this before ordering tugs. 

“Ideally, we want to have long build programmes so we can plan accordingly, not just one or two boats that are needed now to fill holes in fleet requirements, as these projects are harder to manage,” says Mr Rice. 

Other considerations for newbuildings are the type of deck machinery, fire-fighting equipment on board and visibility from the wheelhouse. “Visibility around and upwards is important as tugs operate under the bow of ships, which is a demanding job for masters,” says Mr Rice. Some of the latest harbour and escort tugs, expected to assist container ships of more than 15,000 TEU, or very large crude carriers, have almost total glass around the pilothouse for maximum visibility. 

Mr Rice predicts the near future for tug design and construction is hybrid and batteries, but not alternative fuels, such as methanol. There is also demand for more ATBs to bunker LNG to larger ships and for tugs supporting increased LNG export trade from US terminals. 

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