Damen gets order for shallow draft ASD tug

APRIL 11, 2014 — Smit Lamnalco has contracted Damen Shipyards Group to build a new, shallow draft ASD Tug 2810.

The tug is being built to expand Smit Lamnalco’s oil and gas terminal support services in Novorossiysk, on the Russian Black Sea coast. The contract therefore calls for one major modification of the standard 2810 design – the vessel’s draft will have to be reduced to 4.5 m because of the shallow working depths in the Novorossiysk operational area.

“To achieve the desired draft reduction, the lower part of the thruster will have to be modified,” explains Damen Sales Director Mijndert Wiesenekker. “Consequently, the resulting bollard pull will be a still respectable 50 tons, instead of the standard 60 tons. However, the design gives the opportunity of reconfiguring the thruster if necessary to achieve maximum bollard pull depending on the client’s needs.”

Smit Lamnalco’s Novorossiysk fleet – presently numbering 15 vessels – provides operation and maintenance of single point mooring (SPM) systems in the Russian and Kazakhstan oil export industry. As the number of SPMs recently increased to three, the new 2810 ASD tug will meet the needs of this growing market.

“Smit Lamnalco had the idea for a tug with a draft reuced in this way, and it was Damen that came up with a good solution,” said Smit Lamnalco CTO Rick Maliepaard. “We are very happy with the collaboration especially with the possibility of retrofitting the thruster to achieve maximum bollard pull.”

Damen Shipyards Galati, Romania, will carry out construction of this modified 2810 ASD – delivery is expected in second quarter 2015.