Rimorchiatori Riuniti bolsters Porto di Genova fleet with another Robert Allan Ltd. designed tug

September 17, 2014

Turchia entering Genova harbour with Spagna in background

Rimorchiatori Riuniti currently operates five Robert Allan Ltd. designed tugs in their Porto di Genova fleet, including two AVT 2700 harbour escort tugs (Svezia and Inghilterra), one AVT 3600 offshore towing and escort tug (Messico), and two RAmparts 2400W ASD harbour tugs (Norvegia and Spagna).

They have recently bolstered their Genova fleet with a new RAmparts 2400SX, 70 tonnes bollard pull tug, built by Sanmar Shipyard in Turkey. This tug has been aptly named Turchia, honouring the country of her builder. The Turchia arrived in her home port of Genova on July 31st.

Rimorchiatori Riunti’s fleet has been busy lately with the Messico just recently towing the Costa Concordia wreck on her final leg into Genova harbour assisted by Rimorchiatori Riuniti’s other Porto di Genova tugs including the Robert Allan Ltd. designed Svezia, Inghilterra, Norvegia, and Spagna.

Messico towing the Costa Concordia wreck with Norvegia at far right

The Sanmar built Turchia, a RAmparts 2400SX Class tug, is a “step sister” to Riuniti’s existing Spanish-built RAmparts 2400W Class tugs. It will further strengthen the company’s busy Porto di Genova operation. The vessel is one of Sanmar’s “Boğaçay” class of tugs and is already the 5th in the series to be built by Sanmar since first introduced in late 2013.

The Turchia’s hull features standard RAmparts class characteristics including good deadrise for improved thruster performance, modest side flare, a half-raised forecastle deck for good sea keeping, gently rounded deck line in plan to ensure that the tug can safely and easily come alongside and remove itself from an attended ship at speed, and most importantly the characteristic conically shaped double chine stern unique to all Robert Allan Ltd. designs which ensures that the tug can run astern at high speeds and maintain good control and directional stability. The hull is under the 24 m rule length for load line and tonnage conventions. The tug features Caterpillar 3516C main engines driving Rolls Royce US 255 fixed pitched Z-drives to deliver 70 tonnes bollard pull. Particulars are as follows:

The tug was constructed by Sanmar to ABS Class requirements but will enter into service under RINA flag with the following notation: RINA C ✠ TUG, ✠ AUT-UMS

Tank Capacities at 98% are:

Turchia next to step sister Norvegia

The vessel has been outfitted to high standards for a crew of 6 people. The main deckhouse contains the galley, mess, two officer cabins, and a common WC. The lower deck contains 2 double berth cabins, a laundry, galley stores, and a common WC space. The wheelhouse is designed with frameless bonded windows for minimum mullion obstruction and a single split control station which provides all round maximum visibility and exceptional visibility to the bow and side fendering. The engine room features a small sound resistant switchboard room.

Ship-handling fenders at the bow comprise an upper row of 800 mm diameter cylindrical fender and a lower course of W-fender. Sheer fendering consists of 300 mm D- rubber. “W” block type fendering is fitted at the stern.

Typical of Robert Allan Ltd. tug designs, significant noise and vibration reduction measures have been implemented throughout, including resiliently mounted main engines, resiliently mounted gensets and auxiliary engine, high attenuation engine exhaust silencer systems, ventilation intake air silencers, sound dampening deck treatments, and insulation measures. Measured noise levels were very impressive for a vessel with such a high power to weight ratio.

The vessel is outfitted with the following equipment:

• 2 x Caterpillar 3516C main diesels, each delivering 2000 bkW @ 1600 RPM
• 2 x Rolls-Royce model US 255 fixed pitch Z-drives
• 2 x CAT C 4.4 diesel gensets, each with a power output of 86 ekW @ 1500 RPM, 50 Hz
• DMT Type TW-E 250KN electric double drum hawser winch with a pull of 250 KN at 0-9 m/min on low speed and 80 KN at 0-28 m/min on high speed
• A FIFI ½ pump set driven off the front of the port main engine. The pump set delivers 1200 m³/hr sea water to one 1200 m³/hr water/foam remote operated monitor.
• Data Hidrolik tow hook
• Data Hidrolik aft capstan

On trials, the Turchia achieved over 13.2 knots free running speed.

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