Robert Allan Ltd. RAmparts 2400-W Class Tugs Bring Exceptional Performance to Spanish Tug Operations

December 16, 2016

Robert Allan Ltd.’s high performance RAmparts 2400-W design has recently gained prominent acceptance in Spain with the 2016 deliveries of two vessels by Astilleros Armon to two Spanish operators. Earlier this year, Armon’s Vigo shipyard built and delivered the Ibaizabal Doce to Compañía de Remolcadores Ibaizabal, S.A., of Bilbao. More recently, Armon’s Navia shipyard built and delivered Ponga to Remolques Gijonenses, S.A.of Gijón.

The RAmparts 2400-W is a powerful yet agile compact tug featuring standard RAmparts class characteristics. These include good deadrise for improved thruster performance, modest side flare, a half-raised forecastle deck for good seakeeping, 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, (avoiding the “shoebox” shape of many other common tugs). Most importantly, the characteristic conically shaped double chined stern form unique to all Robert Allan Ltd. tug designs, which ensures that the tug can run astern at high speeds, and maintain good control and directional stability in all directions. The merits of these form innovations are evident in the above photos where the tug performs a high-speed turn about its own axis without any water on deck. This compares favourably to many other types which can corkscrew themselves into deep water easily, totally and dangerously immersing the aft deck. The hull is under the 24m rule length for International Load Line and Tonnage conventions. The deckhouse and wheelhouse are biased aft for working under the extreme flare of modern vessels and also providing a large and safer forward working deck.

Particulars of the RAmparts 2400-W Class tugs are as follows:

  • Length Overall: 24.40 m
  • Breadth, Moulded: 11.25 m
  • Depth, Moulded: 5.10 m
  • Load Draft, Maximum: 5.08 m

The primary tank capacities are as follows:

  • Fuel Oil: 84,000 litres
  • Potable water: 10,100 litres
  • Reserve Potable Water / Water Ballast: 44,600 litres

Propulsion consists of a pair of Caterpillar 3516C engines, each rated 1920 kW at 1600 rpm, driving Schottel, fixed pitch, Model type SRP 1215 FP, Z-drives through a straight line shafting system. With this propulsion train, the 2400-W class tugs are capable of a mean bollard pull of 70 tonnes and a free running speed of over 13 knots.

Both the Ponga and Abaizabal Doce are configured with crew accommodations for six. The main deck contains two officer cabins, the mess and galley. The lower accommodation deck, which remains above the deepest load waterline in all load conditions, features two crew cabins, WC and shower, a laundry, and a generous stores room. The finely appointed wheelhouse is sized to accommodate all the control functions with maximum visibility for the operator.

The deck machinery features a hydraulically driven, split drum hawser winch forward for ship handling operations. This winch, supplied by Ibercisa, includes an anchor cable lifter and horizontal warping head. On the aft deck are a tow post and tow hook for occasional towing operations as well as a vertical warping head and a deck crane.

This compact tug is also fitted with a FIFI 1 off-ship fire-fighting system, with one JASON centrifugal pump type OGF 300 x 450, CCW of 2800 m3/h at 14 bar, driven by KUMERA gearbox, and two JASON water/foam monitors forward.

Bow fendering consists of an 800 mm diameter hollow cylindrical fender, with a lower run of 600 mm x 300 mm “W” block fenders. The stern and transom corners are also fitted with 600 mm x 300 mm “W” block fender and the sheer strake is fitted with 300 mm hollow “D” fendering.

The accompanying general arrangement drawing illustrates the layout of these fine new tugs.

For more information on the RAmparts 2400-W Class tugs, or any other high-performance l designs developed by Robert Allan Ltd., please contact design@ral.ca.

General Arrangement