Z-Tech® 5000 Port/Terminal Ship-handling Tug Guilin Splashes Down in Style
December 20, 2018
In late November, South China Towing Co. Ltd. took delivery of the Z-Tech® 5000 tug Guilin, built by Cheoy Lee Shipyards Ltd. The Z-Tech® design is outstanding for the safe and capable operation of ship-handling service with large ships, particularly those with extreme flares at ends. The design exhibits the best operational characteristics of both Z-drive tractor tugs and azimuthing stern-drive tugs. The Z-Tech® design won the Singapore Design Award of 2004 and the Red Dot Design Award “Best of the Best” of 2005. There are about 90 tugs of 8 versions of the basic design have been built or are under construction worldwide to date. This latest delivery sports a fresh new deckhouse design for a unique appearance.
Particulars of Guilin are:
- Length Overall: 27.40 m
- Beam, moulded: 11.50 m
- Depth, moulded: 5.03 m
- Maximum draft: 5.25 m
- Gross Tonnage: 333
The tug of Hong Kong flag was designed and constructed to satisfy all applicable Rules and Regulations of:
BV I * Hull * Mach, Tug, Unrestricted Navigation. ILO MLC 2006
Tank capacities are as follows:
- Fuel oil: 93 m3
- Potable water: 23 m3
Trials results were as follows:
- Bollard pull, ahead: 52.7 tonnes
- Free running speed, ahead: 12.5 knots
The vessel has been designed to the highest standards of outfitting for a normal operating crew of six. The Master and Chief Engineer’s cabin, along with two additional double crew cabins, are located on the main deck. There is also a pantry and mess room located on the lower deck.
The deck machinery comprises a Yamax hydraulic towing winch on the bow, spooled with 120 m line on the working drum. A knuckle deck crane is provided on aft deck.
Main propulsion for each tug comprises a pair of Niigata 6L26HLX diesel engines, each rated at 1471 kW at 750 rpm, and driving a Niigata ZP31 Z-drive unit. The electrical plant consists of two identical Yanmar 6HAL2-N diesel gen-sets, each with a power output of 100 eKw 380 v, 3-Ph, 50 Hz.
Ship-handling fenders at the bow consist of one tier of 800 OD x 400 ID cylindrical fender at the main deck level, with 480 x 300 W-Block fenders between the main deck and the knuckle at bow and stern, and 300 x 300 hollow square style fenders along the sheer lines of main deck, stem and skeg. 400 OD x 200 ID fendering is used at the stern.
For more information on the Z-Tech® 5000 tug or on any other high-performance vessel designs developed by Robert Allan Ltd., please contact design@ral.ca.