High powered tugboats

Kongsberg Maritime has been contracted to supply US Series thrusters to be installed on new ASD tugboats being built in Turkey by Sanmar Shipyards.

“The excellent collaboration between Sanmar, Svitzer and Kongsberg Maritime’s technical and commercial departments has resulted in optimisation at every stage of the development of this innovative TRAnsverse 2600 tugboat design, including its power, crew safety and environmental impact,” said Hakan Tunc, engineering director of Sanmar Shipyards,

“We are proud to be the builder of this extremely special Svitzer-created and RAL-designed tugboat.”

Next generation tugs

One of the tugs, a 60-tonne Bollard Pull (BP) vessel, is the first of a game-changing, next-generation design by the towage company Svitzer and the naval architect Robert Allan Ltd.

The new TRAnsverse 2600 tug can generate higher steering forces than other tugs of a similar size and is uniquely capable of pushing, pulling and manoeuvring in all directions.

KM is completing bespoke adaptations to its US205S FP (Fixed Pitch) azimuth thrusters it has agreed with Svitzer for this tug. To begin with, the requested power is higher than the US205S units routinely provide, so KM has deployed High-Performance Gear (HPG) in this project to meet the customer’s requirements.

Similarly, KM has increased the slewing rate of the thrusters to 5rpm for this delivery, in line with the TRAnsverse Tug’s enhanced reactivity and manoeuvrability. The thrusters are also equipped with state-of-the-art integrated HD clutches, which have already been sold to more than 100 tugs worldwide.

KM’s US Series thrusters offer project-specific Computation Fluid Dynamics (CFD) modelling capabilities, while the range of achievable propeller and nozzle combinations ensures the highest possible standard of operational efficiency.

KM is also supplying full sets of deck machinery for this project. The DM delivery includes a hydraulic, high-pressure, fully auto-tensioned escort towing winch with two rope drums equipped with band brakes and friction clutches. Also included is an anchor capstan with an electric frequency controller and an anchor lowering system which can be operated from the wheelhouse.