Ayton Cross Arrives To Boost Wijsmuller Marine's Fleet

Wijsmuller Marine has accepted at its Teeside berth of Ayton Cross, the first of two-azimuthing stern drive (ASD) tractor tugs from the Spanish shipbuilder Astilleros Zamacona. Following a crew familiarization period, Ayton Cross is expected to be in full service by the middle of November.

The second tug, Ormesby Cross, is due to be delivered by Zamacona before the end of year. Both tugs will be based on the River Tees from where the Wijsmuller tug fleet covers both the Tees and the port of Hartlepool.

With a bollard pull of 60 tons each, the two new tugs will be the most powerful units in the Voith/ASD Tees fleet and will allow Wijsmuller to transfer one of its existing Tees tractor tugs, Yarm Cross, to its Tyne operation.

Until now, the largest tugs on the Tees have been Fiery Cross and Phoenix Cross, both of 3,890bhp and 41 tons bollard pull. They have been supported by the 3,400bhp/37 tons bollard pull Cleveland cross and Roseberry Cross and the 2,640bhp/35 tons bollard pull Yarm Cross and Coatham Cross.

The transfer of the Yarm Cross to the Tyne is seen as a further upgrading of the Tyne fleet by introducing a twin azimuthing tractor tug. Wijsmuller maintains three tugs on the Tyne, which serve the ports of Tyne, Sunderland and Blyth.

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Maritime Reporter Magazine, page 24, Jan 2001

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