SMOOTH MANOEUVRABILITY WITH CONTROLLABLE PITCH PROPELLERS AND SPECIAL RENDER RECOVERY WINCHES
Svitzer, a global market leader within towage and emergency response, has ordered two more Damen ASD 3212 tugs with 80 tonnes bollard pull performance for its escort and towing operations on the Thames and Felixstowe in the UK. They are being built at Damen’s state-of-the-art Song Cam Shipyard in Vietnam and will be delivered to Svitzer UK in October 2015.

The 32 metre ASD tugs, designed for push-pull, escorting, towing and fire-fighting operations, feature a 12.2 metre beam and speed of 14 knots. For propulsion, they are equipped with two Caterpillar 3516C HD TA/D engines with a total power of 5,050bkW at 1,800rpm.

Svitzer specializes in escorting large vessels — tankers, cruise ships, bulk containers and container ships. Damen sales manager Martijn Smit explains why these tugboats are extremely suitable for handling large vessels. “Being able to change pitch and power during operation allows smooth and superior manoeuvrability of these big vessels.” These tugboats have 2,800mm controllable- pitch propellers in combination with special render recovery winches. The render recovery winches are equipped with a 200 tonne break, render 100 tonnes at 100m/min and 60 tonnes at 50m/min at second layer, while normal mode pull is 60 tonnes at 20m/min.

“Damen is happy to be able to provide Svitzer with the standardized fit-for-purpose tugboats and fast turnaround they are looking for. Over the past couple of years, Svitzer UK has increased its Damen tugboat orders. We have a long history of fruitful collaboration,” adds Smit.

Svitzer UK ordered its first ASD 3212 tug in 2014; a model outfitted with a fixed-pitch propeller in combination with a forward winch. Svitzer UK’s tug fleet now totals 21 Damen tugs including these three ASD 3212 vessels.The 180-year-old towage and salvage company has more than 430 vessels in over 100 locations worldwide.

DAMEN SHIPYARDS GROUP

Damen Shipyards Group operates 32 shipbuilding and repair yards, employing 9,000 people worldwide. Damen has delivered more than 5,000 vessels in more than 100 countries and delivers some 160 vessels annually to customers worldwide. Based on its unique, standardized ship-design concept Damen is able to guarantee consistent quality.

Damen’s focus on standardization, modular construction and keeping vessels in stock leads to short delivery times, low ‘total cost of ownership’, high resale values and reliable performance. Furthermore, Damen vessels are based on thorough R&D and proven technology.

Damen offers a wide range of products, including tugs, workboats, naval and patrol vessels, high speed craft, cargo vessels, dredgers, vessels for the offshore industry, ferries, pontoons and superyachts.

For nearly all vessel types Damen offers a broad range of services, including maintenance, spare parts delivery, training and the transfer of (shipbuilding) know-how. Damen also offers a variety of marine components, such as nozzles, rudders, anchors, anchor chains and steel works.

In addition to ship design and shipbuilding, Damen Shiprepair & Conversion has a worldwide network of 15 repair and conversion yards with dry docks ranging up to 420 × 80 metres. Conversion projects range from adapting vessels to today’s requirements and regulations to the complete conversion of large offshore structures. DSC completes around 1,500 repair and maintenance jobs annually.