Svitzer orders 6 tugs of Robert Allan Ltd.’s unique and popular RAstar design series

September 10, 2015

The world leading towage specialist Svitzer has awarded a contract for six Robert Allan Ltd. designed RAstar 2800 Class ASD tugs to the innovative Turkish Shipbuilder Sanmar, operators of two custom-built, modern shipyards located in Tuzla and Altinova, Turkey.

Robert Allan Ltd. continues to enhance its RAstar Offshore/Escort Tug design of a unique series of high-performance ASD Tugs. Designed primarily for terminal work, these tugs feature foil-shaped escort skegs and a sponsoned hull form, which together have been proven in both model and full-scale testing to provide significantly enhanced escort towing and seakeeping performance. Roll motions and accelerations are significantly less than those of comparable sized “standard” tug hulls.

Additionally, these multipurpose RAstar 2800 Class vessels are designed for operation in hot climates and will be fully prepared for the future fitting of equipment needed for FiFi1 notation with water spray, deliver a 70 Tonne bollard pull and have accommodation space for 8 crew members. The tugs will be equipped with a double drum render winch, two 2000 KW MTU 16V4000M63 engines, Schottel SRP 1515 thrusters and a central cooling system.

Svitzer’s Kristian Brauner noted “these new tugs are key” to its growth strategy, and that the company chose Sanmar “due to their outstanding safety performance and construction quality”.

Robert Allan Ltd is pleased to continue to provide our design expertise to these two highly valued and respected companies and to support the construction of this new flotilla of very capable towing vessels.

The delivery of the first vessel in the Series is expected to take place in late 2016.