Page 71: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (April 2016)

Rodriguez Towboat for Mid-River towboat an eight-foot operating draft.

By Alan Haig-Brown

The wheelhouse has a full 360-degree view with large windows and is set atop

Over the years, Rodriguez triple-screw two accommodation decks and a half shallow-draft towboats have won a fol- deck that also serves for bridge electron- lowing in the shallow waters of the Mis- ics support. sissippi River estuary. Many of these

This gives the towboat a 31-foot eye- boats are the distinctive aft-cabin Lug- level, with full tanks, for working high ger-type of vessel.

barges. Steering and ? anking rudders are

Recently Mid-River Terminals of controlled by wheelhouse levers with

Osceola, Ark. has taken delivery of a mechanical shafts through the houses new design towboat from Rodriguez. and connected to the hydraulic actuator

With a conventional forward-house valves in the upper engine room. A set of pusher con? guration, the new 70- by 30- push knees and deck winches with cheek foot MV Dianna Lynn utilizes the same blocks facilitates barge work. A pair of propulsion as the Lugger tugs. This is 55 kW gensets meets the boat’s electrical composed of three in-line six-cylinder requirements.

Cummins QSK19 engines, each deliv-

Zero discharge tanks, built integral to ering 660 HP. Each engine turns a 66- the hull, provide storage for treated sew- boat in the Mid-River Terminal ? eet, all lose an engine we still have over 1,200 inch stainless steel propeller through ZF age and all drains. A separate tank han- of which are Cummins powered. Owner horsepower.” gears with 6:1 reduction. dles waste oil. Rick Ellis said, “We wanted the three en- The new boat will be primarily in-

The combination gives the 1,980 HP-

The MV Dianna Lynn is the fourth gines for redundancy so that even if we volved in ? eeting and harbor work.

(Photo courtesy of Rodriguez Boat Builders)

Four Damen Tractor Tugs for Svitzer

Svitzer signed a contract with the Damen Shipyards Group for four ATD 2412 tugs as part of Svitzer’s ongoing ? eet renewal program. All four tugs are being built at Damen Song

Cam Shipyard in Vietnam. Demonstrating the advantages to be gained from building ves- sels for stock, Damen is handing over the ? rst two vessels just one month after contract signing. Svitzer has the ? rst two tugs signed up for port towage operations at its Domin- i- can Republic joint venture with Remolcadores Dominicanos. Damen will deliver these vessels, to be called Svitzer Maimon and Svitzer Beata, in mid-April 2016. The second two tugs are due for completion in August 2016. All four vessels are of Damen’s 24-m Azimuth

Tractor Drive (ATD) design. This compact, heavy duty tug yields a bollard pull of over 65 metric tons – the power originating from twin Caterpillar 3516C main engines. A top speed of 12 knots and a powerful aft winch, combined with Damen’s experience with tug de- sign, make these vessels suitable for consistent and effective harbor towage activities.

Damen has a long relationship with Svitzer. In addition to building a signi? cant part of the

Denmark-headquartered company’s ? eet, the two parties are also involved in developing new innovations together. For example, the ? rst ever Reverse Stern Drive Compressed

Natural Gas tug, in cooperation with MTU Friedrichshafen.

Image: Damen (Photo courtesy of Rodriguez Boat Builders) (Photo courtesy of Rodriguez Boat Builders) www.marinelink.com 71

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