OSD to design low emission harbor tug for Iskes

Offshore Ship Designers has been contracted to develop the design of a low-emission diesel-electric harbor tug for Iskes Towage & Salvage. Both companies are based in IJmuiden in The Netherlands. Iskes has ordered two of the vessels from Damen Shipyards. They will be built at the Damen Shipyards Hardinxveld.

The 32-m LOA tug will have a bollard pull of 70 tonnes and will be powered by three diesel gensets driving electric motors mounted over azimuthing propellers aft and a Voith in-line thruster forward. The Azistern 3270 tug is a further development of the low-emission Azistern series developed by OSD. It is expected to reduce emissions by 30 percent compared to conventional, similar-sized harbor tugs now in service.

Michiel Wijsmuller, managing director of OSD, says, “The design and demand for this low-emission tug stems from our successful work developing the zero-emission Green Tug design. Iskes was one of the key partners in that project. We can see the market is not yet ready for fuel cell power for harbor tugs, but we can take from the development work other aspects of the design which minimize emissions. This vessel will have a very refined and efficient hull form and a sophisticated power management system which will ensure that the gensets work always at their best efficiency.”

Key points of the design brief are a relatively large deck crane to enable the tug to do maintenance work for wind farms at sea, electrical winches, low resistance and low-wash hull form and accommodation for seven crew.

November 28, 2011