Update: Tug design chosen for new southeast Asia tug construction

Indonesian and Malaysian shipyards have started construction of new tugs as port operators and vessel owners upgrade their towage capabilities.

Steel cutting has started at PaxOcean’s PT Graha Trisaka Industri shipyard, in Batam, Indonesia on the first of two new escort tugs for China Petroleum Corp.

It needed these tugboats to increase port capacity and activities at its LNG import terminal in Shenao, Taiwan.

These two 31.8-m tugs are to be named Shen Ao VII and Shen Ao VIII and delivered in Q2 2021.

This shipyard secured the construction contract with support from naval architect Robert Allan, following an international bid process.

These tugs will be built to a Robert Allan TRAktor V-3200 design and will comply with the Chinese Classification Society requirements, with the notation CR100+E Tug, Fire-Fighting Ship 1 and Coastal Service CMS+.

These tugs will have Voith propulsion. They are designed for harbour and offshore terminal, tanker escort duties, berthing LNG carriers and standby emergency operations.

Additionally, Batam-based shipyard PT Cahaya Samudra has started building two harbour tugs for an Indonesian owner, according to BRL Shipping Consultants.

The 213-gt tugs will have an overall length of 26 m, breadth of 7.8 m and hull depth of 3.9 m, each powered by two Yanmar 6AYM-WET main engines, developing 829 kW of power at 1,900 rpm. Delivery for these tugs could be as early as Q3 2020.

This continues a trend of harbour tug construction in Indonesia as shipyards ramp up productivity for fleet renewal and expansion.

Owner Pertamina Trans Kontinental has contracted shipyard PT Dumas Tanjung Perak to build two 472-gt harbour tugs with an overall length of 33.4 m. The first of these tugs is scheduled for delivery in Q1 2021, with the second in Q2 2021. These will each have two medium-speed Niigata 6L25HX diesel engines and breadth of 10.5 m.

Also, an unnamed tug owner has turned to Batamec shipyard to construct two harbour tugs for delivery in Q1 2021. The 472-gt tugs will also have overall length of 33.4 m, breadth of 10.5 m and hull depth of 5.2 m. They will have two Yanmar 6EY22AW engines, each producing 1,350 kW at 900 rpm. Combined, these engines will provide each tug with 38 tonnes of bollard pull.

Another shipbuilder, PT Orela Shipyard, is constructing two harbour tugs for an undisclosed owner with Niigata 6L25HX engines and an overall length of 33.4 m and breadth of 10.5 m. The first of these is due for delivery in Q4 2020 and the second in Q1 2021.

Malaysian builder Berjaya Dockyard has started constructing a new harbour tug for an unnamed domestic owner. The 30-m, 238-gt harbour tug will have a breadth of 8.6 m and draught of 3.5 m to get into shallow and smaller ports in Malaysia. Powered by two Caterpillar-supplied diesel main engines, it is due to be delivered in Q1 2021.

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