Damen takes the wraps of new compact ASD tug
Written by Nick Blenkey
the 21.02 meter long ASD Tug 2111 delivers a 50 tons bollard pull.
Damen Shipyards Group has unveiled the latest vessel in its Compact Tugs product platform, adding the 21.02 meter long ASD Tug 2111 to the ASD Tug 2312 in the line up.
“As sea-going ships continue to increase in size, new challenges are arising in ports,” says Damen Product portfolio manager Siebe Cieraad, explaining the thinking behind this next generation series of tugs. “Tugs are required to operate – safely – with less space, at the same time needing increased power to perform. This 21-meter harbor tug with a 50 ton bollard pull is therefore a very exciting addition to our portfolio.”
The new compact ASD tug, in common with other vessels in Damen’s portfolio, features numerous safety features. For example, it boasts a high freeboard, which keeps water on deck to an absolute minimum. It also features ample tumblehome, enabling it to get safely up close to an assisted vessel. A further feature is the tug’s full vision bridge. This provides a 360-degree view from the deck house over the surrounding waters as well as the deck both fore and aft.
Making the ASD Tug 2111 even safer, are its clutter-free decks. A major factor in this is the location of the winch in the deck house. With this, fore and aft towing operations are conducted with a single winch. As well as making the decks clutter-free, this has the added advantage of sheltering the winch from the elements, thereby reducing maintenance.
Damen says that low maintenance is in the ASD Tug 2111’s DNA. The design features the shipbuilder’s proven closed loop keel cooling system. Reducing the amount of on board sea water systems to an absolute minimum, lowers the amount of erosion-related maintenance.
Damen has incorporated a new electric power generation system in the Compact Tugs range. The system is able to generate electricity by drawing on the ample available power of the main engines, reducing fuel consumption and emissions as a result.
A further boost to efficiency comes from the tug’s 2.4 meter diameter propeller, whose large size delivers increased thrust. The ASD Tug 2111 also features the patented Damen Twin Fin to ensure outstanding course keeping and predictable sailing behavior during both free sailing and bow to bow operations.
Damen says its ambition to be the world’s most sustainable and connected shipbuilder in the world and the ASD Tug 2111 is provided with all necessary equipment to be remotely connected via the Damen Triton IoT platform and is technically suitable for two man operation.
Fitted with IMO Tier II compliant engines, the tug can achieve IMO Tier III certification thanks to the optional fitted Damen Emission Reduction System. This in house designed exhaust gas aftertreatment system reduces the nitrogen oxides (NOX) from the vessel’s emission before they reach the atmosphere. This system can be fitted in the existing exhaust silencers — making it also an easy retrofit in the vessel at a later stage in its life time .
Additionally, Damen is working on full electric versions of its compact ASD tugs. These vessels will follow in the footsteps of the successful RSD-E Tug 2513, Damen’s first fully electric zero emissions tug, a milestone on the road to maritime decarbonization.
“We are very pleased to announce this development in our Compact Tugs range and are looking forward to the next stages,” says Siebe. “In line with our construction of tugs in series for stock, we are already building six ASD Tugs 2111 at Damen Shipyards Changde, in China. In this way, as of Q3 this year, we will be able to offer operators fast access to the latest in tug technology, with all the increases in safety, sustainability, reliability, and efficiency this implies.”
