Page 34: of Marine News Magazine (October 2016)

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ARCTIC / COLD WEATHER OPERATIONS tugs, including the 73-foot shallow draft tug Emmett Foss, to bring the barges in, without damage, even though the making its ? rst voyage after its construction at Foss Rainier ice was out there (6.5’ of draft was available at the delivery

Shipyard. The assets were used to transport two oil ? eld site). The shallow draft tugs passed back and forth on that tank modules from Anacortes, Washington to the project route, and they did soundings that showed that the Mi- site on Alaska’s North Slope. chele Foss could be the lead tow tug through that passage.

For the second lift in the summer of 2015, four tugs, Once they got closer to Point Thomson, the shallow draft including the ? rst of three Arctic Class tugs built at the tugs took the barges into the dock.”

Rainier yard, the Michele Foss, towed four barges carrying seven oil ? eld modules, each weighing 2,685 short tons,

Robust Platforms for Demanding Work 2,300 nautical miles from South Korea to the project site.

The Michele Foss and her sister vessel Denise Foss

These modules are used to process raw hydrocarbons into (which entered service this past summer and delivered fur- the requisite product streams. During the ? nal shallow-wa- ther drilling equipment to Alaska’s North Slope during the ter leg of transit, Foss pioneered a short-sea route through summer of 2016) are ABS D0 Arctic class tugs. The hulls the Barrier Islands to get the job done. are designed speci? cally for polar waters and are reinforced “In 2015, the ice never really receded,” explains Leiv Lea, to maneuver in ice. The vessels comply with the require-

Director, Project Management and Sales at Foss Maritime. ments in the ABS Guide for Building and Classing Vessels “We used shallow draft tugs to bring the barges through Intended to Operate in Polar Waters, including ABS A1 that route, along with one of our tugs, and that allowed us standards, SOLAS and Green Passport. “In 2015, the ice never really receded. We used shallow draft tugs to bring the barges through that route, along with one of our tugs, and that allowed us to bring the barges in, without damage, even though the ice was out there (6.5’ of draft was available at the delivery site). The shallow draft tugs passed back and forth on that route, and they did soundings that showed that the Michele Foss could be the lead tow tug through that passage. Once they got closer to Point Thomson, the shallow draft tugs took the barges into the dock.” – Leiv Lea, Director, Project Management and Sales at Foss Maritime

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