ASD tug features Schottel Rudderpropellers and mechanical hybrid solution

Written by Nick Blenkey
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Tug is on order at Turkey’s Uzmar Shipyard for Port of Aarhus, Denmark

Propulsion specialist Schottel, Spay, Germany, has been awarded a contract to supply Turkey’s Uzmar Shipyard with rudder propellers featuring the patented SYDRIVE-M mechanical hybrid system for a 30.25 meter by 11.75 meter RAmparts 3000 series tugboat.

The tug is being built for the Port of Aarhus Denmark and features two Schottel type SRP 430 Rudderpropellers, rated at 2,000 kW each, with 2.5 meter dameter fixed pitch propellers. The azimuth thrusters will be driven by diesel engines. This configuration will achieve an expected bollard pull of about 65 tonnes and a free running speed of approximately 12.5 knots.

The SYDRIVE-M mechanical hybrid solution connects a port and starboard mounted azimuth thruster in a vessel, allowing the thrusters to be driven together by only one of the main engines. This leads to reduced main engine operating hours, resulting in lower maintenance costs as well as less fuel consumption and lower emissions.

The system needs no additional electronical components or a gearbox and has three main operation modes: Light Operation or Free Sailing Mode, Full Thrust Operation Mode and FiFi-Mode.

Port of Aarhus CEO Thomas Haber Borch says: “Not only does the tugboat have great strength, it also has significantly better maneuverability and thus efficiency and precision in the work it will undertake. It can assist the very large vessels arriving at Aarhus with pronounced precision, as it is delivered with an Azimuth Stern Drive system.

“The yard lived up to all our minimum requirements, and at the same time they can deliver a tugboat that can sail on one engine as we sail back and forth to the ship to be towed, while we can use both of the ship’s engines during the actual towing.”

Schottel SYDRIVE-M connects port and starboard mounted azimuth thrusters allowing them to be driven together by only one of the main engines.
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