he Port of Newcastle’s maritime capabilities are set for a transformative upgrade with the arrival of the cutting-edge TRAnsverse tug Svitzer Barrington. Joining Svitzer Australia’s fleet, this 32-metre tug marks a generational leap in marine technology, engineered to handle the port’s demanding conditions with unmatched efficiency.
“The 32-metre TRAnsverse tug represents a generational advancement in towage standards, innovation and performance,” Svitzer Australia’s Chief Operating Officer David Phillips said. “This tug class is purpose-built for versatility and power, maintaining high steering and braking forces through a range of movements without losing the dynamism or responsiveness required by marine pilots.”
“The arrival of Svitzer Barrington, soon to be joined by her sister tug, Svitzer Nobbys, represents our ongoing investment into Australian ports, helping them operate to the highest levels of safety, efficiency and in a way that helps our maritime sector grow in a more sustainable world.”
Behind the TRAnsverse tug’s impressive look and performance are unique design features, including a patented half-circle towing staple – able to support advanced towing manoeuvres – and a double-ended hull and propulsion layout that maximises the benefits of the staple design.
In dynamic modes the TRAnsverse tug expands the operating envelope by around 50% compared to similar or larger ASD tugs. The TRAnsverse tug performs a wider range of jobs, faster, more efficiently and to a generally higher level of safety. The tug has also been shown to provide a fuel efficiency gain of 15%. – Source: TRAnsverse Tug White Paper
Svitzer Barrington has been deployed to the Port of Newcastle as it is one of the busiest ports in Australia and services a range of large vessel types in complex tidal and weather conditions. The Newcastle operations will serve as a proving ground for the TRAnsverse tug technology, validating its performance for broader global deployment across various towage applications.
“Towage provides a critical service within the Port of Newcastle, ensuring the safety and reliability of shipping and port operations. The new TRAnsverse tug class represents a significant uplift in capability, further enhancing the Port of Newcastle’s resilience and growth into the future. We look forward to seeing Svitzer Barrington’s performance on the water and the additional flexibility she provides to our operations.” Craig Carmody, CEO, Port of Newcastle
The port sees more than 4,500 vessel visits a year – including large capesize vessels shipping export coal, bulk grain and agri vessels, container ships, breakbulk freight, cruise vessels and more.
As vessels become larger, weather conditions more extreme and ports more congested, the demand for tugs to assist vessels safely in and out of ports and terminals continues to increase. The logical extension is that tugs have gradually needed to become more powerful, as well as more fuel intensive. However, the TRAnsverse tug’s design and technical features have shifted that assumption, as demonstrated in a recent white paper demonstrating the superiority of its performance.
Svitzer Barrington, a TRAnsverse 3200 tug, arrives in Newcastle. Her arrival marks a step up in towage capability not only for the port but represents a generational advancement in towage standards, innovation and performance.
Svitzer Barrington Specifications
- 3200 TRAnsverse tug designed by Robert Allan Ltd and Svitzer
- Length Overall: 32 metres
- Beam: 13.7 metres
- Operational Draft: Approximately 6.1 metres
- Bollard Pull: 81 tonnes
- Speed Astern: 14.4 knots
- Speed Sideways: 7.5 knots
- Maximum Escort Steering Force (10 knots): 124 tonnes
- Maximum Braking Force (10 knots): 186 tonnes
Svitzer Barrington is one of four variants, the others measure 35m, 29m, and 26m.
The TRAnsverse tug delivers direct towage capability at higher speeds and seamlessly transitions to indirect (and back again), providing Pilots with greater control margin during transits or when shaping a turn in a limited navigable channel. The tug remains stable, holds force consistently, and recovers rapidly between vector changes.
The key to the TRAnsverse design lies in its patented “half-circle” staple which allows us to achieve a more optimal pivot point without any extra moving parts. The two azimuth drives are mounted centrally on the forward and aft end of the tug, rather than side by side. Combined with a hull form optimised for omnidirectional thrust, this arrangement allows the TRAnsverse to generate lateral force in any direction with reduced response time, making us far more agile than traditional setups.
