(SPAY/RHINE, Germany) — Astilleros Gondan has commissioned the first LNG-powered dual-fuel tug ever built in Europe, propelled by two Schottel thrusters fitted with the new SDV45 nozzle. Dux, 132 feet long and 52 feet wide, is the first tugboat of a series of three designed by the Canadian company Robert Allan Ltd. (RAL). The escort tug will serve Norway’s state-owned energy company Statoil at its LNG gas terminal in Hammerfest, Norway.
The vessel is equipped with a pair of Schottel Rudderpropellers type SRP 630 CP. The main thrusters are powered by two Wartsila 6L34DF main engines with a power rating of 3,000 kW each. Additionally, Dux is fitted with a Schottel transverse thruster type STT 170 FP with 250 kW in the bow. The propulsion arrangement equips the vessel with maximum power for its various duties. When in operation, Dux achieves a maximum speed of 15 knots, providing 107 tons of bollard pull. Furthermore, the vessel is able to obtain an indirect steering force of 167 tons at 10 knots and features a breaking force exceeding 200 tons. The vessel is classed according to the rules of Bureau Veritas.
Schottel has introduced its new VarioDuct SDV45 nozzle onto the market that found its first application in Dux's propulsion arrangement. After extensive computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis and trials, the nozzle has been modified in shape to enable high-power applications along with reduced fuel consumption. In combination with a compatible propulsion unit, fuel savings of up to 10 percent are possible at a certain speed, while maintaining a high rate of bollard pull. Furthermore, due to the nozzle’s relatively small diameter, it is ideally suited for operation in shallow waters. In addition to Dux, France's Louis Dreyfus Armateurs Group has ordered a wind farm service operation vessel to be built at Cemre Shipyard in Turkey with three Schottel Rudderpropellers featuring the new nozzle.
Besides its escort services, Dux will assist with berthing operations and emergency services such as long-line towing, firefighting and oil pollution response. The multipurpose tug has been constructed according to state-of-the-art shipbuilding standards to guarantee full operational capability under severe environmental conditions including temperatures as low as minus 4 degrees Fahrenheit. To comply with Tier III emissions standards, Dux and the forthcoming two vessels will use liquefied natural gas in most of their operations, with the option to switch on diesel when needed. The vessel can accommodate a crew of eight people and provides comfort by reducing vibration and noise levels to 45 decibels in the cabins.
For more information, visit www.schottel.de.
