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, info@damen.com 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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