M.V. Svitzer Pembroke

October 28, 2010

Svitzer Marine Ltd., a division of Svitzer AS of Copenhagen, Denmark, have just taken delivery of their latest high-performance tug from Astilleros Zamakona SA. The Svitzer Pembroke is the latest of the widely acclaimed RAstar Series true escort tug designs from Robert Allan Ltd., Naval Architects of Vancouver, BC.

The RAstar 3600 class Svitzer Pembroke falls in size between its five 34 metre (RAstar 3400) and one 39 metre (RAstar 3900) cousins all working at the Milford Haven terminals, and all built to Robert Allan Ltd. designs. This latest vessel was designed to perform a wide range of tasks, including ship-handling, LNG carrier escort, ocean towing, salvage and anchor handling duties. The RAstar class hull form ensures the highest standards of both escort towing capability and superior sea-keeping in the heavy sea conditions encountered in these operations.

The Svitzer Pembroke is classed for unrestricted duty and accordingly was built to Lloyd’s Register of Shipping Class: ✠ 100A1 Escort Tug, Fire Fighting Ship I with water spray, LMC, UMS, IWS, and in full compliance with SOLAS and International Loadline regulations.

The particulars of the new tug are as follows:

Tank Capacities are:

Propulsion comprises a pair of General Electric 16V228 diesel engines, each rated 3052 kW at 1050 rpm, and each driving a Schottel model SRP 3030 controllable pitch Z-drive unit. With this propulsion system, the vessel performance satisfied all expectations, with a recorded Bollard Pull of 105 tonnes and a free-running speed of tbd knots. The indirect steering and braking forces are estimated at 115 tonnes steering and 150 tonnes braking at 10 knots.

The Svitzer Pembroke is very well-equipped for its various towing and escort duties: the fore deck is fitted for typical ship-handling and escort work, with a Rolls-Royce model TW 2250/850/AW 26U2 H combination hawser winch and anchor windlass. The winch features a towline render / recover system for escort operations and has capacity for 250 metres of 76 mm diameter high strength towline.

The aft working deck is dominated by a double drum, hydraulic-driven Rolls-Royce towing/anchor-handling winch. Also fitted are tow pins and shark jaws, a 1500 mm diameter x 3 metre long stern roller, a tbd tonne tugger winch, and a hydraulic knuckle-boom type deck crane of 17 tonne-metre capacity.

Electrical power is derived from a pair of Cummins model K19-CP380DM/5 diesel gen-sets, each rated 390 kW at 1500 rpm. Also installed is a Cummins model 6B-CS74DM/5 harbour gen-set rated 74 kW @ 1500 rpm. The fire pumps are rated 1430 m³/hr each, both driven from main engine front PTO’s.

Like its counterparts in the Milford Haven fleet, Svitzer Pembroke is outfitted to the highest standards for an operating crew of up to eight (8) persons. Facilities on board include spacious crew rooms for the full complement in four (4) single, each with individual en-suite toilet and shower facilities and two spacious double cabins. Public spaces include a generous combined lounge/mess area and a fully equipped and modern galley.

In common with the majority of Robert Allan Ltd. designed tugs, a great deal of attention was paid throughout the design process to mitigate the propagation of noise and vibration. This includes the essential resilient mounting of the main engines, isolation of all exhaust system components, and the extensive use of visco-elastic floating floor systems throughout. The shipyard executed all these requirements exceptionally well, and the reward was an extremely quiet ship throughout, as attested to by the following noise level results at free running:

Main Deck:

Lower Deck:

The layout of Svitzer Pembroke is illustrated on the accompanying General Arrangement drawing. For further details on this or any other of the RAstar Series escort tugs, please contact us.