Indonesian shipyards are also benefiting from export orders for tugs as owners in the region bolster their towage capabilities.
The latest tugboat launch in Indonesia was at PT Patria Maritim Perkasa’s facilities. It launched Patria 22, as the first in a series of three shallow-draught tugs ordered by PT Patria Maritime Lines in 2019.
This is a 23-m tug with a draught of just 2 m enabling it to operate in water up to a depth of 2.5 m. With a bollard pull of 18 tonnes, it is fitted with a towing hook aft for towing barges along the Barito river in the South Kalimantan area of Indonesia.
The Indonesia-flagged tug was built to OSD-IMT 7402 design and Bureau Veritas class, and with a breadth of 9.2 m.
It is equipped with two main diesel engines connected to drive shafts and conventional fixed propellers with high efficiency nozzles. This provides a top speed of 10 knots. A push bow with a triple vertical D-shaped fender was integrated in the tug’s structure by the shipyard.
Other Indonesian shipyards have started constructing new tugs as port operators and vessel owners upgrade their towage capabilities.
Steel cutting was started at PaxOcean’s PT Graha Trisaka Industri shipyard, in Batam, Indonesia, in April on the first of two new escort tugs being built for China Petroleum Corp which needs these tugboats to increase port capacity and activities at its LNG import terminal in Shenao, Taiwan. The two 31.8-m tugs are to be named Shen Ao VII and Shen Ao VIII and delivered in Q2 2021.
PT Graha Trisaka Industri 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 Chinese Classification Society requirements, with the notation CR100+E Tug, Fire-Fighting Ship 1 and Coastal Service CMS+.
Propulsion will be supplied by Voith. The tugs are designed for harbour and offshore terminal, tanker escort duties, berthing LNG carriers and standby emergency operations.
Source: Riviera