Kooren orders two ?rotor? tugs

Kooren Shipbuilding and Trading has ordered two RT-60 class ?rotor? tugs to be built at ASL Shipyard in Singapore. The tugs will have a bollard pull capacity in excess of 63 tonnes and delivery will take place during April 2005. Both tugs will be powered by three 1,350kW Niigata 6L25 HX diesel engines each driving a Niigata azimuth thruster of the ZP 21 FP type. The newbuildings will measure 28.30 metres in length, 11.70 metres beam and have a draught of 5.30 metres. They will be classed by Lloyds Register and will be equipped with firefighting capabilities.

In addition to the above mentioned order, Kooren Shipbuilding and Trading has also taken options on two additional RT-60 ?rotor? tugs. Although sharing the same basic design, the options will be powered by three Wartsila 6L20 main engines of at least 1,200 kW each at 1000 rpm. The three azimuth thrusters will also come from Wärtsilä and are of the Wärtsilä 200/2100mm type with CP propellers fitted in HR nozzles. Kooren expects to declare the options for these two tugs within the next two months. These new tugs have been ordered on a speculative basis and the company is currently in contact with a couple of potential buyers for the tugs.