South China Yard Holds Court In Pearl River Delta

Located at Tanzhou Port in the Pearl River delta area near Panyu, the Yuexin Shipyard is a typically busy south China building yard. Projects include a pair of large offshore supply vessels that are coming together at the same time as sheet metal is being attached to the bright blue framing of huge new construction sheds. A medium size graving dock holds a coastal freighter undergoing repairs while another vessel awaits its turn.

Nearby, a stout 94 x 27-ft. (28.8 x 8.4-m) tug rests alongside as workers hurry to finish it up for a Singapore- based broker who will deliver it to a final customer in Morocco.

Like many of the tugs of this class building in South China, the main propulsion package is a pair of Cummins KTA38-M2 engines. Each engine delivers 895 kW or 1,200 hp from its 12 cylinders for a total of 1,790 kW or 2,400 hp at 1,800 rpm. The mains turn into a ZF BW361 gear with a 6.16:1 reduction to propellers in kort nozzles. Electrical needs are met by a pair of Cummins 6BTA3.9 powered generators.

A fire monitor is mounted on a monkey island over the wheelhouse. A locally manufactured towing winch can handle 400 m of 47.5 m/m wire (approximately 2- in. by 1,200 ft.).

The main deck cabin contains two two-man cabins while accommodation for additional crew is in two six man cabins in the fo'c'sle. Tankage separates this area from the noise of the engine room.

Scheduled for delivery in July, the robust vessel is framed on 55 cm centers, and with a 4-m molded depth, the vessel displaces approximately 502 tons.

Classed as Bureau Veritas I3/3E+ Tug Deep Sea, final design details for the new boat were done by the yard's own staff. Cost of the vessel, which was built over an eight month period, was approximately $1.2 million.

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Maritime Reporter Magazine, page 22,  Aug 2002

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