GPC Barú – Latest addition to the RAmparts 3200-CL series

December 19, 2012

GPC Barú is the latest addition to the RAmparts 3200-CL series, delivered to its owners Sociedad_Portuaria Regional De Cartagena (SPRC) on October, 2012. Two more sister tugs for the same owner will follow. The vessel was constructed by Cheoy Lee Shipyards, Hong Kong. The vessel is a high performance Azimuthing Stern Drive (ASD) tug, specialized for ship-assist service and coastal towing, and uniquely designed to operate in shallower waters.

GPC Barú belongs to the RAmparts Series tugs which area series of proven, standardized Z-drive tug designs. Each of these designs has been developed from a successful prototype vessel or series of vessels, and refined to emphasize ease of construction. Each of the RAmparts designs is available in a typical ship-handling configuration, with a modest size of skeg, or in an “escort” configuration with a much deeper skeg for enhanced indirect steering force capability.

Particulars of the GPC Barú are as follows:

Length overall:
Beam, moulded, extreme:
Depth, moulded (hull):
Maximum draft (DWL):
– 32.00 metres
– 12.40 metres
– 5.40 metres
– 4.19 metres

GPC Barú is classed by Lloyds, with notation of *100 A1, Tug, UMS, *LMC, IWS, Unrestricted Voyages.

Tank capacities are as follows:

Fuel Oil:
Fresh Water:
Foam:
Z-drive Oil:
Sludge:
Oily Water:
Main engine lube oil:
Sewage:
– 235 m³
– 49 m³
– 7 m³
– 0.7 m³
– 3.7 m³
– 4.5 m³
– 1.9 m³
– 4.5 m³

On trials, GPC Barú met or exceeded all performance expectations, with the following results:

Bollard Pull, ahead:
Free Running speed, ahead:
– 71 tonnes
– 13.8 knots

The vessel has been outfitted to the high standards for a crew of up to 10 people. The deck machinery comprises Forward hawser/anchor winch, Aft towing winch, towing hook, deck crane, mooring bitts at forward, midship and aft deck.

The lower deck contains two 4 crew cabins; a double shower stall lavatory, a galley store and switchboard room. The wheelhouse is designed for maximum all-round visibility with forward and aft control stations providing maximum visibility to both fore and aft deck working areas.

Main propulsion for each tug comprises a pair of Caterpillar 3516B HD diesel engines, each rated 2000 kW at 1600 rpm, and each driving a Schottel SRP 1515 Fixed pitch Z-drive unit, in ASD configuration.

The electrical plant comprises 2 identical diesel gen-sets, each with power output of 150 ekW.

Ship-handling fenders at the bow comprises two rows of 800 x 400 cylindrical fenders; a 480×300 mm “W” block type fendering below. Two 300 x 300 hollow “D” fender provides protection at the main and foc’sle deck sheer lines, and 500×450 mm “W” block type fendering is used at the stern.

For information on RAmparts 3200 Class tugs, or any other vessel designs developed by Robert Allan Ltd., please contact us at design@ral.ca.