Page 41: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (February 1993)

Foss Awards Trinity Marine Contract

For Two $11 Million, Voith-Schneider

Propelled Tractor Tugs

Foss Maritime Co. of Seattle,

Wash., awarded a contract to Trin- ity Marine Group of Gulfport, Miss., for construction of two enhanced tractor tugs that will escort and assist oil tankers in northern Puget

Sound. Each vessel will reportedly cost $11 million.

Designed to measure 155-feetwith a beam of 46 feet and a 20-foot oper- ating draft, the 7,600-hp vessels will reportedly be the world's largest, most powerful tugs fitted with Voith-

Schneider cycloidal propulsion units.

Main engines on the tugs are EMD

ME16-710G 7A diesels.

The German-design circular pro- pulsion system consists of two sets of five vertically oriented blades in- stalled ahead of the tug's center.

This design gives the tug 360-de- gree maneuverability and an un- paralleled ability to steer and stop tankers in the event of an emer- gency.

Foss' first tug is due to enter ser- vice at the end of November 1993.

ARCO Marine Inc. will have prefer- ential use of this tug under a con- tract signed last August by ARCO and Foss.

The second tug is due to be deliv- ered in February 1994. Under a contract signed in October, BP Oil

Shipping Co., U.S.A., will have pref- erential use of this tug. Foss' exist- ing North Sound tractors, the An- drew Foss and Arthur Foss, will remain in service after the new ves- sels arrive.

The hulls of the two vessels are scheduled to be fabricated in

Trinity's Halter Marine shipyard in

Lockport, La. The two Voith-

Schneider propulsion units, the pro- pulsion-protecting grounding plate and the aft skeg will not be installed on each vessel until the hulls are drydocked at Trinity's Equitable

Equipment shipyard in New Or- leans. The deckhouses will also be fabricated and installed at Equi- table.

The Voith-Schneider propulsion units for both vessels have already been ordered from the German fac- tory, and the first shipment is due to arrive in New Orleans by the first of

August

Design work for the two new tugs was performed primarily in house by the Foss Design Team. The

Glosten Associates Inc., a Seattle- based naval architecture firm, pro- vided a contract design and pre- pared plans and specifications.

The enhanced tractor tugs will have a primary mission of tanker escorting and assisting, but will also be responsible for marine firefighting, offshore salvage and emergency assistance towing. Each vessel will be equipped with two 6,600-gpm monitors and 6,000 gal- lons of storage for firefighting foam, representing the first time a signifi- cant marine firefighting capability will be available in northern Puget

Sound.

The yet-to-be-named tugs will perform sea trials in the Gulf of

Mexico before Foss takes delivery.

For additional information on the building capabilities of Trinity Ma- rine Group,

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For additional information on

Voith-Schneider propulsion units,

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Call on us.

We are always near you.

With service packages including special designs tailored to your needs.

From big conversion know how to Cruise

Newbuildings

Chemical carriers from 10.000 to 45.000 DWT

Our experience: half a million DWT delivered in 15 years.

Our ships are technologically advanced, with that quality edge needed in today's fiercely competitive market.

We have experience in dealing with the most advanced arrangements, materials and ship equipment.

One of the biggest conversion jobs ever.

We stretched the passenger ferry "Prinsesse Ragnhild"from 170 to 205 meters. And we added several decks, with a new and exciting Hall & Atrium, new bars and restaurants, casino, and a 200 seat Theatre & Conference. And this is just an example.

We have outstanding cruise ship designs, flexible and ready to be adapted to your needs.

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ASTMEROS

ESPANOLES

Ochandiano, 12-14 (El Plantfo) 28023 Madrid

Spain

Tel.: (341 >372 81 25 387 81 00

Telex 27648 ASTIL-E

Fax (341 >372 92 47 387 81 20

February, 1993 43