Svitzer Suez 1, the first RAstar 2800-CL ASD escort tug, has been delivered to Svitzer Egypt LLC by Cheoy Lee Shipyards and will soon commence operations in the Suez Canal. Svitzer are the first owners of this new escort tug design and a further nine tugs to this design have already been ordered with Cheoy Lee.
The RAstar 2800-CL design started with a “blank sheet of paper”. One of the primary goals of the design was to make it extremely flexible allowing for various propulsion machinery options, IMO Tier III solutions, deck machinery choices, accommodation layouts, etc. all with minimal impact on the overall design. This was to allow Cheoy Lee to easily offer customized solutions to clients even at a relatively late stage in the construction process. The hull form has the proven sponsoned shape typical of all RAstar designs and was refined and tested using CFD to ensure the desired free running performance, manoeuvrability, and escort performance characteristics. The escort performance was analyzed using CFD at various stages of the design to ensure the desired escort performance while achieving a design that is fully compliant with IMO escort stability criteria at speeds up to 10 knots. The house works are low profile for working under the flare of attended vessels and visibility from the operator’s position is excellent. Design work was completed to ensure compliance with all the major classification societies’ rules, and it exceeds many flag and/or owner specific safety requirements such as being fitted with 45 degree stair angles throughout.
Particulars of the RAstar 2800-CL design are:
- Length moulded overall: 28.4 m
- Beam, moulded: 13.0 m
- Depth, moulded (hull): 5.40 m
- Maximum draft: 5.5 m (with 175 DWT)
The first RAstar 2800-CL off the line, Svitzer Suez 1 was constructed to Lloyd’s Register rules with the following notation:
✠100A1 Escort Tug, Fire Fighting 1 with Water Spray, ✠LMC, ✠UMS, IWS
Tank capacities of the Svitzer Suez 1 are:
- Fuel oil: 149 m3
- Potable water: 31.8 m3
- Foam: 7.9 m3
- Dispersant: 3.8 3
- Sewage tank: 5.8 m3
- Grey water: 5.8 m3
Accommodations are outfitted to high, MLC compliant standards for a crew of up to 10 personnel. The Master and Chief Engineer cabins are located on the main deck with four double crew cabins located in the lower accommodations.
Main propulsion comprises a pair of CAT 3516C diesel engines, each rated at 2350 kW at 1800 rpm, and each driving a Kongsberg model US 255S P30 Fixed Pitch Z-drive.
The electrical plant comprises two (2) identical Caterpillar C 7.1 diesel gen-sets each with a power output of 118 ekW.
On the foredeck is a MacGregor MG-HAET/GDG-22-1224U02060 x 2-BL hydraulically driven, split drum, escort towing winch accommodating 2 x 200 m of 60 mm diameter synthetic rope and fitted with double gypsies and warping heads. The winch is equipped with a length and tension monitoring system with load indicating display in the wheelhouse. First layer low speed pull is 120 tonnes @ 5 m/min. and high-speed pull is 5 tonnes @ 80 m/min. First layer pay-out is 144 tonnes @ 5 m/min. and 36 tonnes @ 18 m/min. Brake holding force is 240 tonnes.
On the aft deck, there is a MacGregor MG-HTW1-0220D07556-BL hydraulically driven towing winch. The drum can accommodate 750 m of 56 mm diameter steel wire rope and has a brake holding force of 200 tonnes. First layer low speed pull is 20 tonnes @ 15 m/min. and high-speed pull is 8 tonnes @ 30 m/min. The winch has a spooling gear and a 530 mm diameter horizontal warping head. The aft deck is further outfitted with a gob eye, tugger winch, rescue boat, and knuckle boom crane.
The Svitzer Suez 1 is equipped with an off-ship fire-fighting system meeting class Fire Fighting Ship 1 requirements with water spray. The system was supplied by Fire Fighting Systems and comprises one (1) x main engine driven centrifugal pump type FFS SFP 300 x 400 XPC with capacity of 2850 m3/hour. The two monitors deliver 1200 m3/hour of water and 300 m3/hour of foam.
Ship handling fenders at the bow consist of an 800 mm diameter cylindrical fender with 480 x 300 mm “W” block fendering below. 300 x 300 hollow “D” fendering provides protection at the sheer line, and 480 x 300 mm “W” block fendering is used at the stern.
On trials, the Svitzer Suez 1 exceeded performance expectations with the following results:
- Bollard pull: 82.1 tonnes ahead, 77.6 tonnes astern
- Free running speed, ahead: 13.3 knots
While Svitzer Suez 1 is the first of the line, it is already clear that this flexible and modern RAstar 2800-CL escort tug design will be highly popular with operators around the globe. Initial orders for ten of this entirely new escort tug are clear testaments to the confidence in the design capabilities of Robert Allan Ltd. and the build capabilities of Cheoy Lee Shipyards.
