JANUARY 28, 2015—Last quarter, Signet Maritime, Pascagoula, MS, took delivery of its 72 ft Azimuth Stern Drive (ASD) tug Signet Vigilant.

The ninth ASD added to Signet’s fleet in the last four years, the Signet Vigilant was built at the company’s shipyard, Signet Shipbuilding & Repair in Pascagoula, MS.  The 30-metric tonne bollard pull, EPA Tier 3 compliant, ASD tug is the first designed by Castleman Maritime, LLC, Clear Shores, TX, for Signet. She will operate from Signet’s Pascagoula Division, performing rig escort, ship assist and barge assist work.

The Signet Vigilant’s compact design allows for improved capabilities to assist marine vessels in tight quarters and shallow inland waterways.

The environmentally friendly tug will have reduced exhaust and lower fuel consumption to meet EPA Tier 3 marine emission regulations. 

Propulsion power for the 72 ft x 28 ft Signet Vigilant is supplied by two MTU 8V-4000 M54 Tier 3 engines, delivering a combined total of 2,400 bhp at 1,800 rev/min.  The engines drive two Rolls Royce US 155 P12-FP azimuth propulsion units. Electrical power is provided by two John Deere 4045AFM85 EPA Tier 3 engines coupled to 65-KW Marathon Magnaplus generators.

Deck machinery includes a Markey DEPC-32, 20 HP winch on the bow, and two Patterson WWP40E 40-ton facing winches on the stern. The hawser winch capacity is 525 feet of 6.5-inch circumference Saturn 12 synthetic line.

Captain Mark Sutera, vessel master of the newest Signet tug reports: “The Signet Vigilant exhibits strength in areas of maneuverability and size. The vessel performs multi-disciplinary work ranging from docking large tankers, drilling rigs, and ATBs, to shifting barges.  The lean dimensions allow her to maneuver in tight quarters without compromising the job.  She is outfitted with state-of-the-art navigation equipment and first-class accommodations for the captain and crew.  While working in the Port of Pascagoula, the bar pilots favor the Signet Vigilant for her strength and specific capabilities.”

JULY 31, 2013 — Houston headquartered Signet Maritime Corporation took delivery of its newest vessel, M/V Signet Magic, on July 26, 2013 from Signet Shipbuilding & Repair, Pascagoula, Mississippi. The vessel was christened at a ceremony in the Port of Pascagoula. Mrs. Brenda Dahl, wife of Mr. Joseph Dahl, General Manager, Signet Shipbuilding & Repair, Pascagoula, was the christening sponsor.

Signet Magic christening: (L to R) Barry Snyder, President, Signet Maritime, Mrs. Brenda Dahl, Christening Sponsor, Joseph Dahl, General Manager, Signet Shipbuilding & Repair, and Gayle C. Snyder

The Signet owned, Robert Allan designed, AZ 25/60 class, ASD towing and escort tug will be used at multiple Gulf of Mexico locations for harbor assist, and ship and rig escort. She is designed specifically to work under limited maneuvering conditions.

“This 61.4 metric ton bollard pull tractor tug will be immediately inserted into our expanding energy services and harbor escort division to enhance our high-tech fleet of tugs where we enjoy an average fleet age of 6.5 years,” said Signet Maritime President  J. Barry Snyder.

The highly maneuverable and powerful Z-Drive is built under the direction of ABS to the Load Line Convention Rules.

Measuring 80′ (24.38 m) by 36′ (10.97 m) by 15’11” (4.85 m) with ABS Certified 61.4 tonnes of bollard pull, the tug is powered by a pair of EPA Tier 3 Caterpillar Model 3516C diesel engines producing a total 5,150 BHP at 1600 RPM with two fixed pitch Rolls-Royce model US205 Z-Drives.

She is outfitted with a Markey DEPCF-48 electric bow hawser winch and a DEPC-32 deck winch on the stern, two John Deere 125 kW, 60 Hz, 480 V generators and a remote off-vessel fire-fighting system.

The tug has accommodations for five in three staterooms, a modern galley and state-of-the-art wheelhouse complete with electronic chart display, log desk and controls, instrumentation, navigation aids, 360 degree sliding pilot chair, and new design rubber roll suppression devices.

Signet’s fleet expansion construction program is on schedule with three additional tractors for coastal and offshore towing to be delivered in the first and second quarters of
2014.

“These new vessels, combined with our highly trained seagoing personnel and Signet’s dual simulator on-site training facilities, provide our customers with the leading edge of marine transport services,” said Mr. Snyder. “Over the past three years, we have invested $156 million in new marine assets and infrastructure to better serve our marine operations.”

Signet Magic docked at Signet Shipbuilding & Repair, Pascagoula, MS