Multraship orders carousel tugs

Dutch salvage and towage company Multraship Towage & Salvage has ordered two innovative combi-tugs from Malaysian shipbuilder Nautica Nova Shipbuilding & Engineering (NNSE) which incorporate the unique Carousel towing system and which will address directly the needs of big ships requiring escort facilities into harbours and rivers.

The first of the two eighty-tonne bollard pull Carousel Combi-Tugs is due for delivery at the end of 2007, and the second, about three months later. The vessels will be among the most robust harbour and escort tugs in the world. They will be highly stable both statically and dynamically, and will therefore be of particular significance for large vessels making approaches to rivers and harbours. They are also especially fuel-effective, producing potential savings in this regard of between thirty and fifty per cent.

The combi-tugs are designed for unrestricted harbour towage, escort services and seagoing towage. They feature two General Electric 7FDM 12-cyliner diesel engines of 2,290 kW at 1,050 rpm each. The unique design incorporates a large conventional ducted propeller at the stern and an azimuthing bow-thruster, resulting in high efficiency with exceptional manoeuvrability in continuous ahead or astern operation, both free sailing and towing.

The overall length of the vessels will be 33 m, and the moulded breadth 12 m. Maximum speed will be at least thirteen knots, with a minimum continuous bollard pull ahead of 80 tonnes.