Bay Houston Towing orders multiple RAstar 3200-W tugs

RAstar 3200-W tugs are in service worldwide' [Photo: Robert Allan Ltd.]

Bay Houston Towing reports that its president, Philip Kuebler, has signed a contract with Sterling Shipyard in Port Neches, Texas, to build multiple Robert Allan Ltd. designed RAstar 3200-W tugs.

“The addition of the RAstar 3200-W further diversifies our fleet and provides an extremely powerful package with enhanced seakeeping features designed to assist the largest ships in all types of environmental conditions. The new tugs will complement our large number of existing Low Emission Vessel (US) Tier 4 tugs and they align with our commitment to provide industry with high performing and emission friendly tugs,” said Bay Houston Towing vice president Kevin Lenz.

The tugs have the following characteristics:

• LOA: 105 feet
• Beam: 46 feet
• Molded Depth: 18.3 feet
• Classification: ABS ✠ A1 Towing ServiceABS ✠ AMS Escort Service ABS Firefighting Vessel 1ABS Low Emission Vessel (US)

The RAstar 3200-W is a high-performance ASD ship handling and escort tug designed for berthing/unberthing large ships and providing escort and emergency response in exposed coastal areas with demanding sea states. A pair of EMD 16 E23B HD Tier 4 EPA compliant engines will power two model SRP-610 FP Schottel drives.

The tugs unique sponsoned RAstar hull form coupled with 8800 horsepower is designed to produce an impressive 116 short tons (105 metric tonnes) of direct bollard pull. The tug’s performance during indirect tethered escort modes generates sustainable steering and braking forces in excess of 115 tonnes and 162 tonnes respectively at escort speeds of up to 10 knots.

The deck machinery package will consist of a forward winch, aft winch and an aft capstan. The bow will be fitted with 800+ feet of 10-inch circumference HMPE synthetic line layered on a Markey Model DESF-52-AGILE Electric Class III Hawser Winch. This 200 horsepower winch allows the tug to render and recover the line while maintaining maximum towline forces and includes scope feedback and a line tension display system with tension set points. The stern will be fitted with a Markey model TES-40UL electric tow winch capable of storing up to 2,500 feet of 2-1/2-inch diameter wire rope designed to meet ABS requirements to the notations and classifications of the tug.

A pair of John Deere 6090AFM85 EPA Tier 3 and IMO III compliant gensets, each rated for continuous operation at 200 ekW will provide electrical power.