THE PULLING POWER
OF SHARED VALUES page 2
ISSUE 2 | SUMMER 2015
JOURNAL
ROTORTUG® ART 80-32 HYBRID
DAMEN BUILDS NEW ROTORTUGS® ART 80-32 HYBRID FOR STOCKDamen, Rotortug and Robert
Allan teamed up to launch the first
Rotortugs® ART 80-32 Hybrid.
Project Management Van Andel PR Support Editors Damen PR Department, Van Andel PR Support Texts Matt Johnson, Helen Hill, Stevie Knight, Katina Read, Van Andel PR Support Design & Art Direction Damen PR Department, Tijmen Kielen Photography Damen PR Department, Multraship Towage & Salvage, Oranjewerf Ship Repair, Svitzer, Tug and workboat company Herman Sr, 360-Control, KOTUG International B.V., Rotortug B.V., Van der Kloet, URAG, Scrabster Harbour Trust, Karachi Port Trust, Seamax, KTK, Chris Bonis Printing Tuijtel Damen Shipyards Group, Avelingen West 20, 4202 MS Gorinchem, the Netherlands, www.damen.com, [email protected] All rights reserved, Copyright Damen Shipyards Group
TOUGH TIMES AHEAD FOR TUGS
DEMAND SMART SOLUTIONS
NEW DESIGNS: CONTINUOUS
IMPROVEMENT AND INNOVATION
MULTICAT YOGI CAN DO
“ALMOST EVERYTHING” page 5
page 10
page 8
KARACHI
MODERNISATION OF THE PORT The port of Karachi is one of Asia’s
largest and busiest deep water ports,
handling over 40 million tonnes of
cargo in 2013-14.
page 19
page 15
HARBOUR & TERMINAL
DAMEN HARBOUR & TERMINAL JOURNALDamen products, markets and
developments from our business
partners’ perspective.
IN THIS ISSUE: HARD PULL FOR SVITZER RAMSEY P4 | NEW ASD TUG AND OFFSHORE SIMULATOR TRAINING
FACILITY “360-CONTROL” PROVES POPULAR P6 | CRANE BARGE PARTNERSHIP LIEBHERR DAMEN A
WINNER P13 | NEW AUSTRALIAN SERVICE HUB APPRECIATED BY THE MARKET P14 | FIRST DAMEN REVERSE
STERN DRIVE TUG TO LAUNCH IN 2017 P16 | SCRABSTER HARBOUR UPGRADES TO A STAN TUG 1606 P18
KTK’S REPLACEMENT PROGRAMME GETS UNDERWAY P20
Over the past five years, Multraship has purchased ten vessels from Damen, but
the relationship goes back to the 1970s from where the Muller family has grown to
the important position that it occupies today in Damen’s client network. Multraship
is investing at a time when they see potential for the expansion of their current
activities. While consolidation continues to take place among the larger towing and
salvage companies, the directors of Multraship believe that there remains room for
niche operators to prosper. The company has a solid base in its operations in the
River Scheldt and its harbour towage business in the Black Sea continues to do well.
Its new assets will help it to consolidate its market share in these areas and also give
it the capacity for further expansion when the right opportunities arise.
“We aim to provide quality rather than quantity,” says Managing Director Leendert
Muller. “Providing our clients with the best possible service is paramount, and this is
one of the ways in which we mark ourselves out from our competition. We also have
the advantage of a highly compact management structure that gives us short and
personal communications, and enables us to make decisions quickly. We also set out
to treat our clients more as business partners rather than customers.”
The fact that many of Multraship’s clients have been with them for many years is
evidence that this approach works well, and it also extends to the way that they work
with their suppliers as the long relationship with Damen demonstrates. To maintain
this momentum, Multraship’s most recent purchases from Damen include tugs,
launches and crew tenders. Following the delivery of two ASD Tugs 2810 in 2013, the
company took delivery of a third in early 2015. Looking for a fast delivery, Multraship
decided to trial an ASD Tug 2810 Hybrid that was available in stock. A new design,
this was only the second vessel of its class to be built, but the timing was good with
Multraship happy to explore the potential offered by fuel-efficient technology.
MULTRASHIP TOWAGE & SALVAGE
THE PULLING POWER OF SHARED VALUES
Leendert Muller
Managing Director, MultrashipTowage & Salvage
Damen is privileged to work with a number of families in the Netherlands whose involvement with ships and
the sea stretch back across multiple generations. One of the oldest of all is the Muller family, which can trace its
maritime heritage back over more than 230 years. Its specialisation in towage and salvage dates back to 1911,
and today the management of Multraship Towage & Salvage is in the hands of the fourth generation. Based on
the River Scheldt, Multraship Towage & Salvage has its headquarters in the harbour city of Terneuzen and
operates in the ports around the Scheldt estuary at Zeeland Seaports and the ports of Ghent and Antwerp as
well as the Bulgarian Port of Burgas on the Black Sea. Growth has been largely organic, plus the occasional
carefully chosen acquisition and strategic partnership.
2
The ASD Tug 2810 is a unique concept, featuring a diesel-direct, diesel-electric and
battery powered propulsion system. This hybrid configuration is expected to lower
fuel costs by up to 30% and emissions by up to 60%.
At the end of 2014 Multraship also ordered two Damen ASD Tugs 3212, which are
currently being built at Damen Song Cam Shipyard in Vietnam for delivery before
the end of the second quarter of 2015. These two, state-of-the-art ASD Tugs will
operate for Multraship as sister vessels to the 83 tonnes bollard pull Multratug 19,
which was built by Damen in Romania and delivered in 2012. As the launch customer
of what was then a completely new design, Multraship was heavily involved in the
specification and testing of Multratug 19. The recent order for two further vessels
shows the success of the first.
Based on the River Scheldt, the ASD Tugs 2810 and 3212 will be capable of handling
the largest container vessels afloat today and into the foreseeable future. Their
excellent sea-keeping behaviour, superb manoeuvrability and outstanding towing
characteristics will ensure that Multraship can give its customers the support and
service that they require. The purchase of the vessels also helps fulfil the company’s
objective of achieving a higher level of standardisation across its fleet, and the
efficiencies that come with it.
In harbour operations
Early 2015 also saw Multraship take delivery of two Stan Launch 804s plus a Stan Tender
1905 for operation by its boatmen service subsidiaries Verenigde Bootlieden B.V. and
Montis Mooring. The Stan Launch 804s were heavily customised to meet the changing
needs of the customer base, with over a year taken to get the design just right.
Named Montis 5 and VB2 respectively, they deliver excellent manoeuvrability and
flexibility for working in confined spaces, together with the extra power to work
as a tug with a pusher bow. The standard bollard pull has been increased from 1.4
tonnes to 3.2 tonnes by more than doubling the installed power to 182 Kw, adding a
900mm nozzle propeller plus an 11 Kw bow thruster.
Other features include limiting the air draught to a maximum of 2.75m so that the
vessels can escape under open pier structures if necessary, adaptations to enable the
handling of heavy mooring lines on large seagoing ships and the installation
of a capstan with a pull force of 750 kg.
When asked why the relationship with Damen has worked so well, Leendert Muller
attributed it to shared values. “We are both family companies with similar attitudes
towards giving our customers the best possible service over the long term,” he
commented. “Damen also understands what we need from our ship builders. Its
policy of building for stock enables them to achieve the short delivery times that are
often very important to us. Its proven designs and high quality construction ensure
that their vessels deliver the performance and reliability that are central to our
business. We are very happy with what they do.”
Looking ahead, Mr Muller is optimistic about the future. “Things are picking up
now, though it may take a few years to fully recover,” he says. “We look forward
to increased traffic, leading to growth for everyone.” Given Multraship’s continued
investment in its fleet, it should be well placed to take advantage of the opportunities
that will undoubtedly come its way.
3
That was the plan. “It didn’t work out
that way, the first and newest of the
vessels turned out to be a nightmare,”
he explains. Inherited from Milford
Haven where the 32m tug had been
shepherding the big tankers and gas
ships into place, the seven-year-old
Svitzer Ramsey had recently moved over
to a Sheerness base in order to take
up a similar role for the containerships
transiting the London Gateway terminals.
Knowing there had been a few issues
with the forward winch, Mr Morgan
had been expecting that the 80 tonnes
capacity unit would need to be stripped
down and the bearings replaced
before it was put back together again.
Inspection by the Oranjewerf team told
a very different story: the main winch
shaft was so damaged “there was no
alternative but to replace it” says Mr
Morgan. “It was a bit of a shock.”
Oranjewerf Ship Repair is capable of
manufacturing many components but
unfortunately, a 5.5m long, 300mm
diameter winch shaft was little large
for the available technology, so it
was necessary to find another source.
“The shipyard has the skill set and
machinery to do most things, but if
there’s something it can’t take on, the
team will do everything they can to
link you up with someone who can,”
says Mr Morgan. There were more
complications: “One of the biggest
issues was actually sourcing the material,
it is very hard to get that particular
type of high grade nickel chromium
steel through your average steel
merchant at short notice,” he explains.
Again the yard and owners worked
together to solve the issues, finally
locating a company in the south-west
of the Netherlands that was able to
manufacture the replacement shaft.
Then, to add to the troubles, another
problem arose. “The survey of the
Azimuth thrusters showed broken teeth
on one gear wheel and a large break in
the case hardening of the other, so both
units had to come out.”
Of course all of this had an impact on
the schedule, “Put under this kind of
pressure, the yard did everything it
could to raise the level of activity and
maximise the man hours; they had
people working evenings and weekends
too…” In fact as the task coincided with
one of those rare spells of beautiful
summer sunshine, having to ask workers
to voluntarily give up leisure time was
quite a tough call, and Mr Morgan
admits there were moments where one
or two of the team were caught wistfully
“gazing up at the blue sky”.
Despite the distractions, the shipyard
pulled all their resources and got
the shaft in, aligned it and replaced
the gearing behind the thrusters
before refitting them. Considering the
unexpected nature of the work, it wasn’t
surprising that the Svitzer Ramsey’s
docking ran over time by about four
weeks, but rather than get discouraged
the yard kept up the pressure and energy,
Mr Owen adds that “the enthusiasm of
the team was invaluable”. He also goes
on to say that where there are issues to
negotiate, “the guys at Oranjewerf are
willing to face you and talk it through”.
Happily, the other tugs didn’t pose so
much of a challenge, and Mr Morgan
says that seeing the floating dock being
put through its paces with the last vessel
to get into the yard was “a very
refreshing experience”.
He explains the Felixstowe-based Svitzer Shotley, a Damen ASD Tug 2411, usually
needs extra attention when it comes to
sitting down in a conventional graving
dock, “but the skills the dock master has
in inclining the aft end of the floating
facility so it’s at the same angle as the keel
means that it’s a simple, efficient process –
float in, pump out, and there she is”.
ORANJEWERF SHIP REPAIR
HARD PULL FOR SVITZER RAMSEY
“It looked straightforward,” says Owen Morgan, Technical Manager for multinational towage operator Svitzer:
“Three of our tugs were to go into the Oranjewerf Ship Repair yard in Amsterdam, each of the dockings
taking two weeks with a few days break between.”
Oranjewerf Ship Repair in the port of Amsterdam gradually continues to extend its already versatile proposition to shipowners. With it, Oranjewerf’s scope of ship types and maritime segments served is extending too. As part of Damen Shiprepair & Conversion, the shipyard carries out repair, conversion and maintenance projects for vessels and craft from many corners of the maritime industry, featuring offshore and towage, shortsea, ferry shipping, fisheries and inland shipping. The repair and conversion shipyard has turned 65 in November 2014 and simultaneously celebrated its silver jubilee within Damen Shipyards Group.
Spring 2014, installation of Svitzer Ramsey's Azimuth thruster after overhaul and repair.
4
Previous projects have included lifting,
transporting and cutting of a sinker
pipeline, work on a gas pipeline and
also wind farm work. “We worked a lot
in offshore energy with Yogi to begin
with, she’s been involved in dredging,
civil engineering, diving support,
surveying, fibre coiling, recovery of
anchors and towing,” says Herman Sr
Managing Director Jack van Dodewaard.
“It’s a very competitive market but we
have plenty of enquiries and have a
good history of doing a lot of different
types of jobs. We have very experienced
crewing capabilities to handle a range of
projects.”
And while Yogi could benefit from some
slight adjustments, so could every vessel,
says Herman Sr Commercial Manager,
Erwin van Dodewaard who is also one of
Yogi’s captains.
“I’ve worked for six years on the vessel
and in my experience she can do almost
everything.”
“Jobwise there has been nothing that
we have had to decline or not been
able to complete though some have
been more difficult than others,” he
says. “We bought the vessel when she
was 75% built and then finished her to
our requirements. Because of this we
only had a small input into her design
such as making small adjustments to
the bridge and the layout. She is my
first experience of a Multi Cat and has
always performed well.”
Measuring 26m x 11.5m and with a 30
tonnes bollard pull, Yogi has a large
working deck which Mr van Dodewaard
points out means work can be safely
carried out over the bow and also makes
manoeuvring much easier and safer.
“This is a big plus of the vessel with
nothing to be damaged from the props
or any other stern gear. Another benefit
of the Multi Cat is that she is very stable
in a sea state, handling very well.”
“A lot of people think it’s not safe as
the vessel is very open but water slides
over the surface,” explained Mr van
Dodewaard. “I’ve done some crazy stuff
with her but have never been worried
about the stability of the vessel or that
she would be lost. She’s a very good
working vessel and I’ve always had good
experiences with her.”
With Herman Sr’s main experience with
Shoalbusters – the company currently
has four in the fleet with number
five, Barney delivered in April – Mr
van Dodewaard says Yogi took some
getting used to in the beginning with
her different handling characteristics.
“She’s quite different compared to a
Shoalbuster but quite good if you
get used to her. She’s very different
compared to a conventional tug, very
wide and short. She has a very large
turning circle but manoeuvring is much
easier in some situations.”
Shallow draft
Furthermore, he points out that with a
shallow draft of just 2.4m, Yogi is good
for shallow water and still handles well.
She’s working on a project in shallow
water at the moment and performing
very well assisting a cutter dredger.
The project is quite long, longer than a
year. It is quite an intense project.”
The nature of the current project means
crew need to stay on board the vessel
for long periods of time, a factor made
easier by the good accommodation –
heated and air conditioned living space
for six crew, a galley and messroom.
And Yogi’s small size means she is also
easily transported to projects across the
globe such as on a submersible vessel.
“She was loaded by cranes onto a heavy
lift vessel to go to Dubai. From Dubai
she was loaded onto a semi-submersible
vessel to go to Brazil,” explained Mr Van
Dodewaard. “That’s a good thing about
small boats. She is very capable of going
offshore and sailing worldwide.
She’s built for working. Overall our
experience of the vessel is pretty
good. Damen puts a lot of effort into
keeping customers satisfied, listening
to our comments”, Mr Van Dodewaard
concludes.
TUG AND WORKBOAT COMPANY HERMAN SRORANJEWERF SHIP REPAIR
HARD PULL FOR SVITZER RAMSEY
Chris, Jack and Erwin van Dodewaard
Management, Tug and workboat company Herman Sr
MULTI CAT YOGI CAN DO ‘ALMOST EVERYTHING’Tug and workboat company Herman Sr took delivery of their Damen Multi Cat 2611 Yogi in 2008 and since
then the vessel has been kept busy working on projects worldwide. Currently in Aracruz, Brazil, Yogi is involved
in towing activities, anchor handling, supplying equipment, floating pipeline handling and providing general
assistance in a project to dredge a new port.
5
A TRUE CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE IN THE PORT OF AMSTERDAM
NEW ASD TUG AND OFFSHORE SIMULATOR TRAINING FACILITY ‘360-CONTROL’ PROVES POPULAR
360-Control is a new tug and offshore simulator centre based in
IJmuiden, near Amsterdam, which is believed to be one of very few in
the world where training is provided on a completely realistic ASD
simulator with a true, 360° field of view and this is combined with
practical training on board a vessel. Menthe de Jong
General Manager, 360-Control
Being based at the entrance to the
port of Amsterdam, participants on the
courses can literally step outside of the
training centre onto a working ASD tug.
Menthe de Jong, 360-Control General
Manager, who is an experienced
simulator training manager but who
has also sailed as a nautical officer, says:
“This centre is truly unique. Our largest
simulator has the complete 360° view
and this is coupled with a very realistic
environment based on the dimensions
of an actual tugboat. When looking out
of the windows of the simulator it is
the same as being on a tug. And then
the real beauty is that we can literally
bring tugs alongside, by our door, and
the trainees can step on board and put
their simulator training to use straight
away. The theory is then put directly into
practice.”
Exact dimensions of an ASD tug
Officially opened in June last year, the
facility has three simulators but the largest
is built as an exact replica of the Damen
ASD Tug 2810/3212. Rather than looking
out on rectangle simulator screens the
simulator’s view is a mirror image of a
tug’s window.
Training can be provided for complete
novices or experienced captains. Leading
companies such as Svitzer, Iskes Towage
& Salvage and ship delivery and crewing
service company Redwise are all
customers. In just six months the facility
has seen trainees from all over the world
- from Ghana, Cyprus, Kuwait, Germany
and Libya to name a few.
All three simulators use the technology
from renowned simulation company
VSTEP. The simulators include a 360°
NAUTIS Full Mission Tug Simulator and a
120° NAUTIS Trainer to facilitate realistic
training of tug & OSV handling and
manoeuvring. “This is a big advantage
for our clients. The simulations are
more detailed and have much better
graphics than most simulators. VSTEP is
an absolute specialist and has some 50
people working on simulation technology
alone.”
Highly detailed maritime
environment
“The simulators have identical controls
to the real vessel, so it doesn’t feel like
being in a simulator.” Indeed, Mr De
Jong stresses, certainly participants take
it very seriously and the experienced
captains especially get very competitive.
This highlights that they easily immerse
themselves into the scenario. It is as if
they were sailing their own tug rather
than being on a training exercise.
All weather conditions can be simulated
such as wind, rain, high waves, strong
currents and reduced visibility in fog,
when the vessel can work in low visibility
of just 30m. It can combine wind and swell,
4.5 knots of current with a wind force 8
etc. to really test the skills of the captain.
Training scenarios are almost limitless.
Clients typically request a specific
scenario and participants usually attend
for three to five days. (And the writer
would add that the simulator is so
realistic that those of us who aren’t very
good sailors start to feel travel sickness
setting in!)
360-Control sets up the same scenario
on one or all three of the simulators so
groups of up to five can all be involved
in the one scenario. Exercise scenarios
can for example, include a vessel and
two tugs (one at the stern and one at
the bow). An Instructor Station is also
6
installed to provide total instructor
control during exercises and the exercise
and the participants can be recorded if
required for debriefing purposes.
Local port conditions
The national navigational and
maritime laws of the country could be
implemented in the training scenarios,
together with the rules and regulations
specific to each port. For example, in
ports there are sometimes rules about
operating in reduced visibility. Tugs may
have to sail in dense fog because an
approaching ship requires assistance.
Many captains have only limited
experience in heavy fog therefore
simulator training offers the possibility
to train under these conditions. The
simulator scenarios can take into account
how the local pilots sail; do they prefer
push-pull, do port operators work on
long lines etc.
And crucially, even though participants
may have many years experience working
on tugs, they may not have worked on
ASD tugs, which are very different. It is
also possible to have the view from the
bridge or a ‘bird’s eye’ view overseeing
the vessel.
Basic training includes sailing and
manoeuvring, the free sailing tug,
taking it completely starboard, port to
starboard, coming alongside, mooring/
unmooring and operating in confined
spaces, sidestepping etc. And then if
the trainees pass the basic exams they
continue on a vessel and then go to the
advanced courses, where they learn
different towing and assisting methods,
how to approach a ship, interaction
effects and more about towing forces.
“It is interesting for participants who have
been sailing 10 to 20 years because
even though they are very good captains
they don’t necessarily know all the
manoeuvring options of an ASD tug. We
can offer many possibilities of doing the
same manoeuvre but perhaps in a more
efficient and safe way.”
Sailing more efficiently
“Some may not be sailing as efficiently or
effectively as they can. Of course, they
can learn how to reduce fuel but it is also
about anticipating the next step.”
Companies often send their experienced
captains to train them in handling
emergency scenarios. “Obviously
you hope that they are never in these
situations in reality but it is a way to
experience them in a safe environment.”
Menthe de Jong is hopeful that the three
simulators will be joined by another 360°
Full Mission Tug Simulator in the short
term. This would make it possible to train
on even more models including Offshore
Supply Vessels, Fast Crew Suppliers,
Anchor Handling Tugs and SAR vessels,
as well as carrying out ship-to-ship
transfers.
Although the simulator centre is owned
by Damen and Iskes Towage & Salvage,
and they regularly train their crews there,
it is a completely independent operating
company.
Highly experienced training instructors
are from all different maritime
backgrounds and their expertise is
combined with input from Damen and
Iskes Towage & Salvage, making the
facility a true Centre of Excellence.
7
Following an agreement, Damen is now entitled to build the Robert Allan-designed
Rotortugs® ART 80-32 Hybrid for third party clients. The first two, which are owned
by Rotterdam operator KOTUG International B.V., were successfully launched in
December and January.
Damen has such confidence in the new design that the Dutch shipyard group is
going to build four more of the new tugs directly for stock.
Saying that he is very much known as ‘an ASD man’, Coen Boudesteijn, Damen
Product Director Tugs, admits that he was initially a little sceptical about the merits
of the new Rotortug®. But he enthuses following a trip on KOTUG’s first Rotortug®
ART 80-32 Hybrid RT Evolution in the port of Rotterdam. “I have such confidence in
the design. This is really a new generation. She is extremely dynamic - just one slight
touch of the handle is enough.”
“The Rotortug® ART 80-32 Hybrid has all the strength of a large tug - achieving an 85
tonnes bollard pull - but this is coupled with the manoeuvrability of smaller ones. As
a ship handling tug – it is something special!”
Rotterdam-based Rotortug B.V. is the patent holder and still provides a lot of input
in the design process. Evan Willemsen, Managing Director at Rotortug B.V. says:
“We have effectively been busy for more than 20 years with this new design. It is
compact, powerful and comfortable.”
Intuitive & user friendly
Both admit that sometimes there is a perception that a Rotortug® is more
complicated than a regular ASD tug. “The perception is that it must be difficult to
sail with the three controls. In practice however, it is completely user friendly. And as
an ASD tug fan I thought it was going to be more difficult,” says Coen. Evan stresses
that the new generation is ‘extremely intuitive’.
With the ever-increasing size of container vessels, bulkers and LNG carriers, the two
executives point out that such a vessel is crucial for any port worldwide. “Ports are
getting more efficient and there is less time to handle each vessel, so they need safe
and reliable tug operators.” Additionally, the Rotortug® works very well in confined
areas and this makes it possible to reduce the number of tugs per port call.
“The Rotortug® should be part of the fleet. It is the tool for every challenge,” stresses
Evan. The Rotortug© concept offers increased security for ship handling and escort
towing, as well as enhanced crew safety, he says.
DAMEN BUILDS NEW ROTORTUGS® ART 80-32 HYBRID FOR STOCK
When Damen, Rotortug B.V. and Robert Allan Ltd. teamed up to launch
the first Rotortugs® ART 80-32 Hybrid in June last year, certainly the
industry raised its eyebrows as companies that would normally be
competitors came together.
Evan Willemsen (Rotortug B.V.) and Coen Boudesteijn (Damen).
8
Operators never have to reposition their tug because they work well indirect or
direct at all speeds. The high and immediate steering forces with little heeling angle
at a vector response time of virtually “0” seconds means that it is a top-rate escort
tug, he adds.
Ideal ship handling tool
The Rotortug® concept involves a different way of ship handling. Rather than the
push/pull method, it is not necessary to push on the side of the ship but against the
tow wire instead, again with a zero response time for any pilot orders, he explains.
As well as being a powerful and versatile tool, the Rotortug® ART 80-32 Hybrid
represents considerable savings in terms of fuel efficiency, which is typically reduced
by 25-30%. The vessel has diesel and electric engines in each propulsion line and for
the most part (80%) it can be completely electrically powered.
And although it is too early to reveal details Rotortug B.V. is exploring other
propulsion configurations, which could save even more fuel, expected to be in the
region of 40-50% for an average port operation.
Fuel reduction
The tug’s design also makes it extremely comfortable for the crew.
“It has very low noise and vibration levels, the climate of the wheelhouse is extremely
comfortable. Even after a hard day’s work you don’t feel tired,” Coen points out.
Evan adds that the crews have been very positive about the new vessel. “She
embodies the Damen quality – the finish and eye for detail - which meets with
their expectations. And the ergonomics of the bridge layout, galley, cabins and
mess room have all been carefully thought about. The vessel is arranged for more
comfortable living.”
Compact & powerful
“It is clear to see how this vessel is designed and built by three companies with in-
depth tug knowledge and it encompasses Damen’s input from its proven ASD and
Stan Tug series. Like our ASD Tugs 3110, 3111 and 2810, it has a compact design, is
powerful – simply a sharp design!” Coen says.
Coen comments: “This is the ultimate Rotortug® and it fits in with our philosophy
of building compact, powerful tugs. All tug operators know Damen for its ‘A1’ tugs
and this is an excellent addition to our range, from the smaller Shoalbuster to this
powerful new Hybrid.”
9
NEW DESIGNS: CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT AND INNOVATION
With the usual Damen spirit of seeking
to continuously improve and innovate,
the company is launching a range of
new tug designs. Here we highlight some
of the next generation tugs.
ASD TUG 2913In February, Damen delivered the first vessel of its new ASD Tug 2913 to
well-known German operator Petersen & Alpers.
The Damen ASD Tug 2913 has been developed in light of the ongoing trend that
vessels get larger and larger. Operators need extremely powerful ship handling
tugs but at the same time, they have to be compact to operate in busy harbours.
Coen says: “Compact tugs are what Damen does. We have taken this vessel to the
maximum 85 tonnes bollard pull but it is still very compact.”
This vessel is particularly special because she is the first Damen tug with a double
hull. With a total power of 5,050 Kw, the new tug is just 29m in length and is
perfectly suited as a harbour and coastal tug, for offshore towage and salvage.
The new tug has a large 175 cu m fuel tank capacity, as well as 70 cu m for oil
recovery and a double drum winch - one for operations and one on standby. Able
to reach speeds of 13.5 knots, the tug has quite a large beam of 13m, therefore
it is very stable and has GM values above 2m. She has a full, forecastle deck and
plenty of spacious accommodation, with each of the six cabins having their own
sanitary unit. It also has push/pull capabilities and can be fitted with an aft winch as
an option.
“A Damen tug should always be better! We are really appreciated the chance to
work with Petersen & Alpers on the first vessel as this company has hundreds of
years of experience in the industry. Quality is all about the fine details. This new
type represents an enormous effort from a dedicated team. Developing these
vessels is truly a top sport.”
A series is currently being built for stock at Damen Shipyards Galati in Romania.
10
ASD TUG 2811Based on the highly successful Damen ASD Tug 2810, the production drawings
are now ready for the ASD Tug 2811, which will be available early 2017.
Coen Boudesteijn, Damen Product Director Tugs, explains: “Damen’s ASD Tug 2810
is a well-known Damen standard; she has proved herself all over the world. It is a
true multipurpose tug, suitable for coastal towage, harbour towage, salvage and
firefighting duties. Now we are taking this successful standard to the next stage.”
Damen’s confidence in the new vessel is shown by the fact it will go straight into
series production at the brand new shipyard, Damen Song Cam in Vietnam, where 17
ASD Tugs 2811 will be built annually.
Coen outlines the main differences and improvements of the new ASD Tug 2811.
With a 65 tonnes bollard pull, the ASD Tug 2811 will offer even better stability, as it
will have 60 cm of additional beam and consequently safety is also enhanced.
“Just like the ASD Tug 2810, she will be very powerful and manoeuvrable but she will
have even more performance with a bigger Caterpillar engine, which is now boosted
from 1860 Kw to 2000 Kw.”
The type will also have an entirely new wheelhouse compared to the ASD Tug 2810.
There will be a total, optimised view as the front and aft panels provide a full vision
wheelhouse whereby six windows are effectively combined into one large panel.
Damen developed the new design using the very latest drawing techniques and 3D
printing.
Ergonomically friendly, durable consoles are to be introduced entirely made from
composites. More environmentally friendly lighting will be used, with low power LED
lighting installed in the accommodation, as well as LED navigation lights.
In line with the latest ILO standards, the vessel will have improved accommodation
providing more comfort. This includes more daylight, less noise, larger lockers etc.
Damen recently developed a computer programme based on finite elements for
noise measurement. This has allowed us to take another step forward in terms
of gaining more knowledge about noise reduction and this can be seen in the
new vessel, where a substantial reduction has been possible, he adds. “The ASD
Tug 2811 really shows the hard work of our R&D Department, there is enormous
craftsmanship involved. Reducing noise and vibrations is just one example.”
STAN TUG 2309With more than a hundred 22m Stan Tugs built since the early nineties, Damen
has chosen to upgrade its highly successful Stan Tug 2208. A complete
engineering package for the new Stan Tug 2309 is expected to be ready in July
and the vessel will be available end-2016.
The vision for the new improved Stan Tug 2309, which is ideal for harbour towage,
pushing operations and line handling, is partly inspired by the popular Damen ASD
tugs and boasts several similar features.
Rather than having a steering wheel, the new vessel combines ergonomic, modern
port and starboard Glass-Reinforced Plastic consoles and a sliding chair, which
results in better view lines and makes it easier to operate the vessel, Jean-Pierre
Stevens, Damen Design & Proposal Engineer Tugs, explains. “Because it has no
steering wheel but Follow Up/Non Follow Up steering levers, there is more space,
enabling the captain to have a much better view from the wheelhouse.”
As always with Damen, the new vessel has proven and reliable Stan Tug quality, with
strong hull construction, a high quality epoxy paint system and a maintenance-free
closed cooling system for the main/auxiliary engines. The stability increased by
improving the breadth which also resulted in accommodation arrangement. The
new look is completed by the raised fore deck making the vessel more production
friendly and minimizing “green” water on the fore deck.
The Stan Tug 2309, classed by Bureau Veritas, will be equipped with two upgraded
Caterpillar 3512C IMO Tier II and EPA Tier II main engines. It has a Reintjes gearbox
and twin-screw fixed pitch propellers in twin nozzles and high performance rudders,
straight-line propulsion and 2200 mm DMC Optima nozzles. This proven technology
guarantees optimal manoeuvrability and very good fuel efficiency, as well as low
maintenance costs. This results in a 40 tonnes BP vessel, which can achieve 11.8 knots.
Suitable for every environment, the new tug comfortably operates in maximum
seawater temperatures of 35°C and ambient air temperatures between -10°C to 45°C.
Jean-Pierre adds that the new design has an improved accommodation layout for
the eight-strong crew. “It is designed for comfort and safety.” Complying with
the latest international IMO and MLC regulations, all cabins are airy with a settee,
large lockers and common sanitary facilities. Cutting down on noise and vibrations
substantially, the Stan Tug 2309 is equipped with a modern, integrated heating and
air conditioning system and a high level of thermal/acoustical insulation and double-
glazed windows in the wheelhouse and cabins.
Other features include D-fendering, LED navigation lighting and it will have 10%
more fuel capacity compared to the Stan Tug 2208. Additionally, the basic design
of the Stan Tug 2309 can be customised with extra optional equipment, making it
capable of fulfilling a variety of roles to suit the client’s requirements.
Read more on the next page.
11
NEW ICE CLASS ASD TUGS
Damen is set to launch several new ASD ICE Class tugs with
vastly improved ice-breaking ability.
In 2001, Damen entered the ice tug sector with the ASD Tug 2509 ICE, which has
proved popular with clients in Russia particularly. “The ASD Tug 2509 ICE and the
ASD Tug 2810 ICE have been very well received. But taking into account feedback
following several visits to customers, Damen has taken the decision to broaden its
offering in the sector and make several improvements in the new series,” says André
de Bie, Damen Manager Standards/Senior Design & Proposal Engineer.
The most significant change in the new Damen ASD Tug 2609 ICE is a modified
bow shape, which enables the vessel to achieve a better entrance angle into the
ice, giving it superior ice-breaking ability. Following tank tests at Aker Artic in
Helsinki, calculations showed that the new bow leads to at least a 40% improvement.
Essentially, with the same ice thickness 40% less power is required by the new tug.
The new bow shape will be a feature on the 40 tonnes bollard pull ASD Tug 2609 ICE
and the new ASD Tug 3010 ICE, which will have a bollard pull of 60 tonnes. There
will also be an ASD Tug 3412 ICE with a bollard pull of 70 tonnes but this is currently
at the design stage. “We have a very nice standard ICE series now, with a broad
range of bollard pull capabilities,” says André de Bie.
Further improvements to be implemented include a significant increase in the amount
of thermal insulation used in the superstructure and engine room. “Given that these
vessels can be operating in the Russian Far East, St Petersburg area, the Baltic States
and Sweden, conditions can be as low as minus 35 degrees. Therefore, we are making
several improvements when it comes to heating and insulation.” Double-glazed
windows are being installed throughout and there will be heated windows in the
wheelhouse and electric, underfloor heating in the cabins and wheelhouse making
it more comfortable for the crew. “Damen is paying particular attention to insulation
around the ‘cold bridges’ around the doors and windows as well.”
Pipes, hydraulic hoses and electrical cables will also have heavier steel protection on
the working deck as often ice has to be removed by hammering or by being chipped
off with axes.
In addition to all the ‘ICE’ improvements, Damen’s vast experience of heavy hull
constructions, known and proven equipment - such as main engines, thrusters and
winches - and high quality finishing in both painting and carpentry are embodied in
the new ICE Class ASD tugs.
And because many of the new tugs will be heading to Russia, Damen now builds
them directly tailored for Russian regulations. They are built directly in compliance
with the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping classification regulations.
Several of the new ICE Class vessels have already been ordered. Magadan
Commercial Seaport will take delivery of the first ASD Tug 2609 ICE in the fourth
quarter this year and a second in Q2 2016 and an operator near St Petersburg has
ordered two ASD Tugs 2609 ICE. The Swedish Försvarets Materielverk (the Swedish
Navy) has ordered two ASD Tugs 3010 ICE, which are due to be delivered in the
second half of 2015.
Another ASD Tug 3010 ICE is under construction in Damen Changde in China for a
port in Russia. Several ice classed ASD Tugs are under construction at Damen and
can be delivered swiftly to customers.
Damen will present a paper entitled “Higher Tug Crew Comfort Calls For Advanced Sound And Vibration Control” based on the Stan Tug 2208 at Tugnology ‘15, May 19th & 20th.
HIGHER TUG CREW COMFORT
8
The comparison in Figure 14 shows the contributions of both the SEA outcome as well as the OTPA result for the sources taken into consideration.
Figure 14: A-weighted spectra of OTPA measured contributions for STu 2208 compared to SEA calculated contributions
The following observations are made with regard to the SEA prediction:
• The contributions of the main engines are signifi cantly underpredicted. Since this is one of the dominant sources, it demands further investigation.
• The contributions of the gearboxes are slightly underpredicted. The general shape of the spectrum as well as the peak at the gear mesh frequency (500Hz) is predicted well.• The contributions of the propellers are signifi cantly underpredicted at lower frequencies
and overpredicted at higher frequencies. The contribution of the propellers is low, thus it will not affect the prediction of the A-weighted overall sound level in this case.• The contribution of the generator set is slightly
overpredicted at higher frequencies. Again the shape of the spectrum matches quite well.
• The predicted contribution of the engine room fl anking sound is in good agreement. This is of importance for a good prediction of the overall A-weighted sound level as it is one of the dominant sources for the mess room.
For each of the receiver rooms, similar observations were made and used to evaluate the SEA prediction. In general for this STu 2208, it was found that the predicted main engine contribution is a point for attention. It is one of the dominant sources responsible for the major part of the overall A-weighted sound level at the receiver. For the mess room, the prediction of the overall A-weighted sound level by SEA is around 4dB(A) lower than the OTPA analysis.
Furthermore, it is worth noting that besides the main engines, the gearboxes and the engine room fl anking sound makes a signifi cant contribution to the sound levels onboard as well. Therefore, these sources should be addressed altogether in order to reduce the sound levels further.
FUTURE APPLICATIONSSEA requires a detailed structural design of the ship and OTPA requires a fully-outfi tted ship. So, compared to empirical methods, these techniques are less suitable for the conceptual design phase of a ship. In the development of a new series, or ships with high acoustic requirements, SEA in combination with FEM can be applied in the design phase. However, the source levels should still be known. Due to these practical implications, this means that empirical prediction methods are still valuable. In order to extend the applicability, systematic variation studies with SEA can be done.
CONCLUSIONWithin the research project, SEA has been applied to a STu 2208 and validated using OTPA measurements. This paper describes only one of multiple validation cases. Among others, the ASD Tug 3212 has also been evaluated by the same approach.
Confi dence in the capabilities of the SEA method has been gained, and it has been found to be a useful
12
Vital pieces of infrastructure for many
ports around the world, crane barges
are indispensable where shallow waters
prevent ships from coming alongside
either the dock or other vessels. The
combination of ample deck space and a
powerful lifting mechanism make crane
barges ideal for such transhipment
operations, and for many ports they
too act as a crucial and cost-effective
alternative to expensive dredging and
construction.
The Crane Barge 6324 represents the
latest in a long line of joint Liebherr
Damen projects dating back to 1978.
With its modern control systems and
its high quality accommodation, the
transhipment barge has come a long way
since the two companies delivered their
first crane barge in 1986 to Libya where it
is still operational today. Since then they
have delivered over 220 crane barges
across regions including Asia, South
America and Southern Africa.
Liebherr has played a vital role in the
success of the crane barges, alongside
a number of other key suppliers, all
contributing their knowledge and
expertise. With a reputation for quality
based on its in-house engineering and
manufacturing capabilities, and its
worldwide servicing network, Liebherr
produces sophisticated, dependable
marine cranes that give many years’
service. The Damen crane barges use
models from their high performance CBG
series. These offer lifting capacities of up
to 35 tonnes at 36m and 45 tonnes at
32m and an average performance of up
to 1,200 tonnes per hour. These can be
equipped for both grab and container
operations. All their cranes are certified by
leading classification societies including
Lloyds Register and RINA.
Two of these vessels are now in operation;
one in Uruguay handling bulk goods
using a grab system while the other is in
Vladivostok transshipping containers.
As well as the quality it is Liebherr’s
commitment to innovation and
continuous improvement that makes it
such a valuable partner. Its control system,
designed in-house, stands out in the
industry as the best of its kind, while its
Leader Data System records and uploads
loading rates for remote productivity
management, and also provides remote
diagnostics for any operating issues that
may arise.
Currently being tested is the new Smart
Grip feature, an intelligent grab which
optimises grab filling rates in a self-
learning manner, helping increase the fill
rate while avoiding overloads and saving
on hardware.
Typically only 70% of a grab’s capacity is
ever used, due to suboptimal grabbing
angles and varying material densities.
Trying to get these two right can be a
real challenge for operators and requires
a variety of different grabs to cater for
different materials. As a result of in-depth
analyses, Liebherr worked out the ideal
grab filling model for various material
densities in order to optimise fill rates.
The new system also incorporates a
self-learning feature that automatically
adjusts its behaviour to suit bulk density,
compression and granularity, amongst
other criteria.
Also currently under development
is the Liebherr Pactronic system, an
innovative hydraulic hybrid drive that
is characterised by an energy storage
device.
This hydraulic accumulator is based on
proven energy storage technology and
allows for fast charging and discharging.
It serves as a pressure storage reservoir
incorporating gas in conjunction with
a hydraulic fluid and is charged by
recovering the reverse power as the
grab falls. The energy is then stored
in the compressed gas to be released
upon demand. The system is virtually
maintenance free and just needs visible
inspections every 10 years.
Pactronic is most useful in situations
where peak power is required, such as
dedicated bulk handling. In comparison
to Liebherr Mobile Harbour Cranes with
a conventional drive system and identical
turnover in terms of tonnes per hour, the
Pactronic hybrid version needs 30% less
fuel.
In addition to its standard models,
Damen also designs and builds custom
crane barges. One example of this is the
400 tonnes heavy lift version built for
BAM International. Measuring
80 x 25 x 4.5m it has accommodation
for 12 crewmembers, complete with
a first aid room and offices. To enable
exact positioning it also has a six-point
mooring system with below-deck
winches. Two more custom crane
barges are currently under construction,
destined for Australia and Saudi Arabia
respectively.
It is the combination of state-of-the-art
cranes that offer maximum productivity
and operational efficiencies and Damen’s
proven pontoon designs with their high
quality, high specification designs that
make the Crane Barge 6324 and its
sister ships the choice of many operators
around the world. Furthermore, in a
market where short delivery times can
often be a top priority for the customer,
Damen’s policy of building for stock
helps ensure that crane barges can often
be supplied at time scales that other
builders simply cannot match. The
Liebherr Damen partnership is genuinely
one that benefits everyone involved.
CRANE BARGE PARTNERSHIP LIEBHERR DAMEN A WINNER
With its many years of experience in the building of barges and pontoons of all sizes, Damen has developed a reputation as a dependable and responsive supplier. Its success in the specialist category of crane barges, however, would not be possible without its longstanding partnership with Liebherr, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of cranes of all types.
13
Damen Services Brisbane Pty Ltd. serves Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific
Islands. Currently, there are some 70 Damen vessels, including many Azimuth Tractor
Drive Tugs, Stan Tugs and Azimuth Stern Drive Tugs in the region and there are more
on the way, says Roland Briene, Damen Area Director Asia Pacific.
The Service Hub handles maintenance issues, prepares and assists during vessel
deliveries and the Brisbane engineers provide on the spot training to help customers.
Additionally, the team can arrange simulator training either at Smartship in Brisbane
or at the Group’s new simulator centre, 360-Control, which is based near Amsterdam.
“The Service Hub is definitely appreciated by customers. It has proved itself,
providing much shorter communication lines for our customers. And of course, it has
the backup of Damen’s Dutch headquarters and other shipyards in the Group.”
Customers in the region also have access to the Damen web portal where they can
find information about the progress of work orders, spare parts and download all
drawings and manuals related to their fleet.
Additionally, given the fact so many vessels such as ASD Tugs, are coming up for
their five-year survey, the Damen Service Hub is doing its best to make sure this
process can be as smooth as possible.
Vessel numbers in the region continue to increase. A long-standing customer of
Damen, DMS Maritime Pty Limited will take delivery of its Escape Gear Ship 8316
Submarine Rescue Vessel this year, which will be used to support the Royal Australian
Navy’s submarine fleet. And in 2016, a Rescue Gear Ship 9316 will be delivered. New
Zealand is also seeing an expanding client base as three deliveries of ASD tugs took
place in 2014 to the Ports of Auckland, Port Otago and Eastland Port.
NEW AUSTRALIAN SERVICE HUB APPRECIATED BY THE MARKET
Damen’s decision to set up the company’s first ever Australian Service Hub
at the end of 2013 has certainly been appreciated by customers.
The Service Hub was officially openend by
the Honorary Consul of the Kingdom of the
Netherlands, Captain Kasper Kuiper (right).
Left: Roland Briene (Damen).
1414
Few know the ups and downs of the
towage industry better than URAG,
which has been in business for 125 years
this year. The key to its long existence
so far has been its focus on its vibrant
local market that includes Hamburg
and Bremerhaven two of Europe’s
busiest ports, and building long term
relationships with the various yards
and ship owners. It’s a model that has
worked well for over a century, but in
what may be the biggest change since
the introduction of containerisation in
the 1960s, the towage business is now
facing new challenges that place new
demands on those in the sector and
hitting profitability.
Michael Staufeldt, Managing Director
at URAG is happy to acknowledge
that towage is an exciting but tough
business. The driving force behind the
changes the sector faces is the evolution
of the vessels that it serves, with both
container ships and cruise lines growing
dramatically in size over recent years.
Consolidation among ship owners
is also resulting in a smaller number
of larger groups, and the increased
purchasing power that comes with that.
Many smaller tugs that were purchased
just five years ago are now facing
obsolescence as ports demand that the
new giant ships are served by tugs with
minimum power thresholds.
However towage companies cannot
afford to purchase tugs that are kept for
just the largest ships while maintaining
fleets of smaller tugs for the smaller
vessels. The new assets must be kept
busy so as to pay their way, and that
means that they must be able to
support the regular traffic in a cost-
effective way despite their potential
higher fuel consumption.
The requirements from the shipping
majors for suppliers to offer a low
cost service across a spread of ports is
also expected to drive consolidation
across the smaller towage firms as
they seek to lower costs and provide
the geographical coverage that the
customers want.
In short, for towage firms to survive in
the new business environment they need
to have the right assets and costs under
tight control. URAG’s response was to
explore the latest in tug technology that
might enable them to deliver the service
while at the same time minimising
operating costs and delivering vessels
with a longer working life, and it was
the search for these that led them to the
Damen Shipyards Group.
Michael Staufeldt and his colleagues
understood that new technology and
designs held the key to simultaneously
achieving a lower total cost of ownership
while complying with new regulations,
meeting new environmental procedures
and satisfying their customers’ demands.
Damen was already known to them
with its reputation for quality and
innovation, and an analysis of its product
range showed that the ASD Tug 2411
matched URAG’s operating requirements
perfectly. Its ability to manoeuvre in the
constricted waters of ports and locks,
together with a proven design that
has seen continuous updating over its
lifetime, made it the natural choice. Easy
maintenance, first class engines and a
bridge layout that made it easy for the
crew to operate where all additional
factors in the decision. The Volkswagen
of tugs, was how Mr Staufeldt described
it, and a GTi at that!
URAG’s first ASD Tug 2411 was
delivered in 2013, and it was the
positive experience with her that led
the company to decide to purchase two
more. Named Brake and Perfect, they
were to join their sister ship Prompt in
the port of Hamburg under the URAG
subsidiary Lütgens und Reimers (L&R).
The order was placed in September
2014 and work began immediately on
the twin vessels at the Damen’s partner
yard Song Thu (Da Nang) in Vietnam.
Like the Prompt, the two new ASD Tugs
2411 feature excellent manoeuvrability
and outstanding towing capabilities with
a bollard pull in excess of 70 tonnes. At
24.5m they are ideal
for restricted
waterways as well
as open water
assignments.
Extra thick plate was used in the
construction, along with extra brackets
and fendering, to ensure maximum
durability. The Brake and Perfect are also
economically-efficient in terms of both
low fuel consumption and operating
costs due to their design and reliability.
From Vietnam the tugs were shipped to
Damen Maaskant Shipyards Stellendam
for a final inspection before being
officially handed over to URAG on
Thursday 19 March 2015.
“They arrived in their new home of
Hamburg at 1700 hours the following
Monday,” said URAG’s Michael Staufeldt,
“and by 1330 hours the next day were
on their first job. The crews are very
enthusiastic about the new arrivals given
their positive experiences with Prompt, and are looking forward to optimising
them for their specific duties.” Together
the three vessels now represent the core
fleet of L&R.
URAG now has the tugs it needs to
handle the very largest vessels yet also
offer a competitive service to the many
smaller ships that arrive at Germany’s
leading ports. Damen’s problem-solving
culture combined with paying close
attention to the pressures and aspirations
of operators right across the maritime
industry continues to result in new vessels
that combine performance with economic
efficiency. It’s no wonder that URAG’s
Perfect is the 88th ASD Tug 2411 to be
delivered.
TOUGH TIMES AHEAD FOR TUGS DEMAND SMART SOLUTIONS The recent delivery by Damen of two ASD Tugs
2411 to long-established German towage company
URAG marks more than just another sale for one of
the world’s most successful tug series. The chang-
ing nature of the shipping industry in Europe and
beyond is having an impact on the towage sector,
forcing operators to reassess the capabilities and
economic characteristics of their vessels.
URAG
Jan Fijnekam (Damen), Frank de Lange
(Damen), Michael Staufeldt (URAG),
Niels Roggemann (URAG) and
Arnout Damen (Damen).
15
Worldwide patent for
unique twin fin hull
The RSD Tug 2513 is the only compact
tug designed to work bow first.
“Operators never have to reposition their
tug because they work well indirect or
direct - at all speeds, sailing ahead and
astern,” he adds. In February, Damen
was granted a worldwide patent for the
unique twin fin hull for the new vessel
type. “Like all Damen vessels, she will be
compact, efficient and very powerful but
with an added performance boost from
the new twin fin hull.”
The successful twin fin design represents
years of Research & Development.
Damen has been testing many variations
of skeg designs at Maritime Research
Institute Netherlands and in real life with
the ATD Tug 2412.
This continual process looking to
improve has paid off, Coen stresses.
At 13 knots there is always full control
ahead or astern, he explains. “The vessel
can sail at a 30 degrees correction and
come back, all with 100% control. And
even at 13 knots she has a dry deck.”
In control
The RSD Tug 2513 is very easy to turn,
he emphasises. “During escorting at
6-10 knots, the vessel is dynamically
much better than a single skeg. The
twin fin makes her very stable, going
from 0 degrees to 70 degrees smoothly.
When steering, the operator always has
a high line force.”
With a 3516B Caterpillar engine, the
RSD Tug 2513 will have efficient fuel
consumption. She is powerful and will
realise a minimum of 70 tonnes bollard
pull in both directions and this is more
likely to be 75 tonnes astern.
In the near future the RSD series will
comprise the RSD 2210, (50 tonnes
bollard pull), the RSD Tug 2914 (90
tonnes bollard pull) and the CNG version.
Damen Compressed Natural Gas RSD
This new RSD diesel tug will also be
further developed into the world’s first
100% Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)
RSD tug, the prototype of which will be
tested in 2017 ready to enter the market
in 2018.
For the CNG version, Damen is working
with German engine manufacturer
FIRST DAMEN REVERSE STERN DRIVE TUG TO LAUNCH IN 2017
Damen will launch the first tug of its new Reverse Stern Drive (RSD) series –
the RSD Tug 2513 – in April 2017. The RSD Tug 2513 has largely evolved because
vessels are getting bigger and harbours have to be more efficient. This compact,
robust vessel is particularly well designed for handling at the flare of vessels.
Coen Boudesteijn, Damen Product Director Tugs, says the new type builds and
improves upon the highly successful Damen ATD Tug 2412. “This is the next step.
Major operators such as KOTUG and Svitzer are very enthusiastic about the ATD Tug
2412’s performance, manoeuvrability and handling speed. And harbour authorities
appreciate its high performance. She is a very safe ship handling tug operating in
ports from Hamburg to Sydney.”
16
MTU Friedrichshafen, a subsidiary of
Rolls-Royce Power Systems and leading
Danish operator Svitzer. Bureau Veritas
is also a partner in the development.
The Damen RSD CNG Tug is essentially
the same as the new RSD Tug 2513:
designed as a compact, 25m harbour tug
but instead running on gas.
Working under flare
Damen has taken quite a different
approach to what is already available on
the market as gas-powered tugs tend
to be much larger. Coen elaborates:
“Compact tugs are in our bones. The
RSD CNG Tug will be much smaller than
anything out there, which are typically
34 to 36m. We believe that a compact
tug is more attractive cost wise but
also she can work under the flare of the
vessel unlike others.” While the vessel is
compact, she is still powerful achieving
70 tonnes bollard pull.
This special vessel is being developed
under the European Union’s Lean Ship
Programme.
The MTU 16-cylinder engine enables
the vessel to sail for one week without
refuelling. This is an excellent engine
for ship handling, with very quick
acceleration, stresses Coen. The gas
engine for the new tugboat is based on
the proven MTU Series 4000 M63 diesel
engine. This will be complemented
with a multipoint gas injection system,
a dynamic engine control and an
optimised safety concept.
“We are developing our new gas series in
order to meet the extreme load profile
of the tugboat. The acceleration will be
comparable to the level of our diesel
engines. Due to the clean combustion
concept, compliance with IMO Tier 3
emission legislation will be ensured
without the need of additional exhaust
gas after treatment. The 2,000 Kw MTU
gas engine is characterised by high
power density combined with low fuel
consumption,” says Dr. Ulrich Dohle,
CEO of Rolls-Royce Power Systems AG.
This vessel will be ideal for the many
LNG terminals worldwide, he adds. And
with this in mind Damen is also working
on designs for a bunker barge and
refuelling station for the CNG vessels.
17
An ambitious programme of developments at the port started six years ago with a
£17.5m investment in the construction of the Jubilee Quay, Tanker Berth and new
Inner Basin Quay, which was delivered in 2013.
The additional activity at the port involving more and larger vessels has brought
new demands on the infrastructure. In particular, the issue of navigational safety was
paramount and it was decided that the existing harbour launch should be replaced
as it was approaching forty years of active duty, and the acquisition of a state-of-
the-art vessel would deliver a substantial uplift in capability and versatility.
“We were looking for something that could be delivered quite speedily,” said Sandy
Mackie, Manager of the Scrabster Harbour Trust, “and Damen certainly had an
advantage that they already have established designs and indeed in some cases
have vessels in stock.
The feedback we’d had from other purchasers around the UK was also very
favourable in terms of performance and customer service both during and after the
acquisition.” In terms of the specification of the replacement vessel, the key issues
were bollard pull, excellent manoeuvrability and pushing capability.
The solution chosen was Damen’s Stan Tug 1606, which fulfilled all the requirements.
Named Highlanders, “the tug is doing what we hoped it would do,” continued
Sandy Mackie, “and it terms of current and future users that is good news. We
are very satisfied with the vessel.” And looking ahead to the future? “It’s a big
investment,” concluded Mackie, “but it’s a flexible vessel and will be an important
part of the expansion and development of the port. We are confident that it will
give us many years of service, and whatever the future may bring to us we have got
a workboat that will be fit for purpose for Scrabster’s needs.”
SCRABSTER HARBOUR UPGRADES TO A STAN TUG 1606
Located on the North Coast of Scotland, the port of Scrabster is strategically located at the
junction of the North Sea and the North Atlantic. The original port dates back to 1841 and started
out based on the white fish industry and ferry services to the nearby Orkney Islands. Recent years
have seen diversification as the port has attracted both cruise ships lured by the dramatic scenery
and the rapidly expanding offshore and renewable energy industries.
Sandy Mackie
Trust Manager, Scrabster Harbour Trust
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Sandy Mackie
Trust Manager, Scrabster Harbour Trust
The growth in population and trade
in recent decades has made the
port an ever more vital part of the
regional infrastructure, and the Trust
has responded to that with a ‘vision
to transform Karachi port into a
modern, competitive, user-friendly
port, and a transhipment hub for the
region with hinterland connectivity’. In
order to achieve this, the managers
have implemented a strategy that is
driving improvements in organisational
skills, costs and productivity, as well
as seeking to expand the size of the
market that the port serves. The
success of this initiative can be seen in
the fact that, over the past twelve years,
the port has slimmed its workforce by
57% while cargo-handling efficiency has
increased by 59%.
A significant element of the
modernisation plan has been
investment in the infrastructure. As well
as installing modern container handling
facilities and dredging the harbour to
allow for larger ships, the Trust has
also invested in a series of vessels
intended to increase the efficiency and
throughput of the port. Alongside
the fleet of dredgers required to keep
the channels free of silt, the Trust
also selected two Stan Tugs 1605 by
Damen. These supply the necessary
manoeuvring and navigation safety
for the larger ships that are now using
the docks. A Damen Multi Cat 1908
has also been purchased for use as a
dredge tender.
“We were looking for highly
manoeuvrable vessels with a bollard
pull of around 10 tonnes that could
fulfil a number of roles in addition to
pushing and towing harbour craft,”
said Ashique Hussain Mallah, Project
Engineer Procurement at the Karachi
Port Trust, who oversaw the purchasing
process. “They are also used for
moving equipment and spares around
the port and as general support vessels
operating between the workshops
and visiting vessels. The proposal
that Damen made to us also had an
added attraction; the opportunity to
take advantage of Damen’s Technical
Cooperation (DTC) programme.”
Under the DTC, Damen supplied the
neighbouring Karachi Shipyard &
Engineering Works with full design
and material packages that allows its
own workforce to build the craft to
exact Damen specifications using pre-
prepared components. “We worked in
cooperation with Damen throughout,”
continued Ashique Hussain Mallah.
“The quality of the workmanship was
monitored by our own consultant
with support from Damen personnel
and, as a result, the vessels are most
satisfactory with good performance and
low maintenance requirements.” To
date, under the scheme seven Damen
Stan Tugs 1605 have been supplied to
Karachi Shipyard, providing trouble free
services to Pakistan Navy and KPT.
The DTC programme operates around
the world, transferring valuable skills
and allowing Damen customers to
remain close to their projects while
taking advantage of low-cost build
environments. With 1,708 vessels
handled by the port in 2013/14, the
tugs have been a critical component of
the infrastructure.
As part of the same scheme, November
saw the handing over by Karachi
Shipyard of a 12 tonnes bollard pull tug
to the Pakistani Navy. Named the PNT Jeedar, the ceremony was overseen by
guest of honour Vice Admiral Khan Hasham
Bin Saddique HI(M) Chief of Staff.
Damen Stan Tugs have been built and
sold all over the world, and are valued
as dependable, cost-effective harbour
tugs. Damen’s policy of standardisation
and building for stock means that
they are generally available with very
short lead times, depending on the
requirements of the customer. Damen
is delighted that the twin Stan Tugs
1605 together with the Damen Multi
Cat 1908 are playing their part in the
modernised and revitalised port of
Karachi, and is confident that they will
give many years trouble-free service.
MODERNISATION OF THE PORT OF KARACHI
The port of Karachi is one of Asia’s largest and busiest
deep water ports, handling over 40 million tonnes of
cargo in 2013-14. Managed by the Karachi Port Trust,
its strategic location makes it one of the great trade
gateways to Asia and over 60% of Pakistan imports
and exports pass through its docks.
Ashique Hussain Mallah
Project Engineer Procurement, Karachi Port Trust
19
Internationally, KTK offers services
to the offshore, civil and shipping
industries by towing vessels, offshore
rigs and dredging equipment in the
Latin American and Caribbean region.
KTK maintains the highest standards
with respect to the education and
training of its tug captains and crew. All
crew members are fully compliant with
international maritime and flag state
legislation.
High on the priority list of Joost Lameijer
and Surldric Rojer, appointed as the new
management of KTK in September 2014,
was the replacement of two Damen
Pushy Cats which had been in service for
the past three decades.
After studying various possibilities it
was concluded that replacement by two
Stan Tugs 1205 would be the optimum
solution. The two tugs will be the first in
a replacement programme of KTK’s fleet
of line handling tugs/pilot launches.
On 9 December - five years after the
delivery of two ASD Tugs 2810 ‘KTK Tribon’ and ‘KTK Barakuda’ – KTK and
Damen signed an agreement for the
delivery of two Stan Tugs 1205.
The choice for the Stan Tug 1205 was
mainly decided by the leap ahead that
KTK would make in respect of safety
and labour conditions on board. Surldric
Rojer commented: “With KTK’s choice
of the Stan Tug 1205 we are now ahead
of international regulations and industry
standards.”
“The fact that Damen is committed to
expanding the service hub at Curacao
made the choice even more obvious”
Joost Lameijer added. “Damen
specialists with all the necessary facilities
will be literally just around the corner of
our home base.”
The new tugs arrived at Willemstad
on May 1st.
KTK’S REPLACEMENT PROGRAMME GETS UNDERWAY
Curacao based tug company KTK (Kompania di Tou Kòrsou) owns and operates a versatile fleet of tugboats ranging from 750 to 5000 bhp. KTK, a 100% subsidiary of Curacao Ports Authority (CPA), provides harbour towage and mooring services to seagoing vessels calling into the deep sea ports of Curacao. For this purpose KTK operates four ASD Tugs 2810 from its home base of Willemstad. These are also equipped with firefighting capabilities, making them ready to assist in the event of emergencies in the vicinity of any of the island’s petrochemical facilities.
Surldric Rojer and Joost Lameijer.
On April 30th Nederex, CPA and Damen Services signed a Curacao Service Hub MoU.
Charly van de Sande (Nederex), Humberto de Castro (CPA) and Jaap de Lange (Damen).
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