Rubicon & Righteous – Starting 2014 in style for PSA Marine

January 29, 2014

With echoes of the 2014 New Year’s bell still ringing, PSA Marine of Singapore, one of the largest harbour tug owners and operators in Asia, took delivery of the RAmparts 3200 class tugs Rubicon and Righteous from Cheoy Lee Shipyards, Hong Kong and Yuexin Ocean Engineering Co. Ltd., Guangzhou, PR China respectively.

The RAmparts Series tugs from the design portfolio of Robert Allan Ltd., Naval Architects of Vancouver BC are a series of now exceptionally well-proven ASD 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 new delivery is also custom-tailored to the needs of each individual Client.

Robert Allan Ltd. worked closely with Cheoy Lee Shipyards and Yuexin Ocean Engineering Co. Ltd in the design development of these two tugs which are specialized for ship-assist service and coastal towing. Although carrying the same RAmparts 3200 designation, Rubicon, a RAmparts 3200CL design, was uniquely designed for Cheoy Lee Shipyards to suit their production facilities and Client base. The most notable feature of this design is the shallower draft than the standard tug, a frequent requirement in Asia. The Righteous is a RAmparts 3200W design with slightly different characteristics.

The principal particulars of the two vessels are as follows:

The vessels have been built and classed by Lloyd’s Register of Shipping, with the following notations:

✠ 100A1, Tug, UMS, ✠ LMC, Fire-Fighting Ship 1 with Water Spray, Unrestricted Voyages

The propulsion machinery of the two vessels are identical, consisting of a pair of Niigata 6L28HX main engines, each producing 1654kW and driving Niigata ZP31 Z-Pellers.

On trials, Rubicon and Righteous both exceeded all performance expectations with bollard pulls greater than 65 tonnes and a speed of 12.8 knots.

To enable extended endurance at sea, the vessels have the following tank capacities:

The accompanying general arrangement is for the Righteous, however the configuration of the two tugs is essentially identical, with the following design features:

Bridge Deck:

• Wheelhouse: arranged to provide maximum all-round visibility, with overhead viewing windows, and a split console forward. A chart table is located to port

Main Deck:

• Deck machinery: Forward hawser winch/anchor windlass; Aft towing winch and gob eye; deck crane and tugger winch on aft deck; mooring bitts forward, midship and aft
• Mess / Lounge / Galley: comfortable seating area with television and an area for the crew to enjoy a meal between shifts
• Flush-mounted, machinery access/ flush removal hatch
• Accommodation: cabins for Master and Chief Engineer, with private lavatory facilities

Below Main Deck:

• Accommodation: two cabins for a total of 6 crew; lavatory facilities suitable for the crew of 6; a generous galley store

Engine Room:

• Two main engines
• 2 identical diesel gen-sets, each with power output of 110 ekW
• One FiFi pump with 2780 m³/h capacity; driven by starboard main engine

Fenders:

• Rubicon
  • Two rows of 800 x 400 cylindrical fenders
  • One 300 x 300 hollow “D” fender at the main and foc’sle deck sheer line
• Righteous
  • one row of 800 x 400 cylindrical fenders
  • 480 x 300 mm “W” block type fendering below
  • two rows of 300 x 300 hollow “D” fender at the main and foc’sle deck sheer line, and
  • 500 x 450 mm “W” block type fendering is used at the stern

For more information on the Rubicon and Righteous, any other RAmparts Series tugs, or any other high-performance work boat designs please contact Robert Allan Ltd. at design@ral.ca.