Ted C. Litton – Another Z-Tech® Arrives

March 27, 2019

March 7, 2019, Gulf Island Shipyards completed the second of ten Z-Tech® 30-80 tugs, five of which were ordered by Suderman & Young Towing Company. Once completed, these tugs will operate in ports on the Texas Gulf Coast by its operator G & H Towing Company. The Z-Tech® 30-80 tug Ted C. Litton evolved from the previous Z-Tech® 7500 design for Suderman & Young. Designed and built with a sponsoned hull form, escort capability of the tug is significantly enhanced.

The design incorporates the best handling and operational characteristics of both Z-drive tractor tugs, Azimuthing Stern-Drive (ASD) tugs and the unique RAstar series hull form. The new Z-Tech® series tugs are intended for operation primarily in major ports and marine terminals. It emphasizes the safe and capable operation of ship-handling operations with large ships, particularly those with extreme flares. Emphasizing the need to work in either a push or pull mode under the flared ends of large container ships and car carriers, the Z-Tech® has a relatively low forward sheer, and a wide, heavily fendered bow.

Particulars of Ted C. Litton are:

  • Length Overall: 98’-6”
  • Beam, moulded: 42’-8”
  • Depth, moulded: 16’-5”
  • Gross Tonnage:
    • ITC: 411
    • US Regulatory: 297

The tugs were designed and constructed to comply with all applicable Rules and Regulations of:

ABS ✠ A1 Towing Service, ✠ AMS, Escort Service,
Fire Fighting Vessel Class 1 and all applicable U.S. Coast Guard regulations including Subchapter M

Tank capacities are as follows:

  • Fuel oil: 42620 GAL
  • Potable water: 6700 GAL

Sea trial results showed Ted C. Litton met all requirements to the design:

  • Bollard pull, ahead: 84.45 MT
  • Free running speed, ahead: 13 Knots

Customized general layout of the tug represents more than a decade of cooperation by Robert Allan Ltd. naval architects and the owners. The Master and Chief Engineer’s cabin along with galley and mess are located on the main deck while two cabins for four crew members are located on the lower deck.

Main propulsion for the tug comprises a pair of Caterpillar 3516E, EPA Tier 4 certified diesel engines, each rated 3386 BHP at 1800 rpm, and driving a Schottel SRP 510FP Z-drive unit with Ø2800 propeller. The tug is fitted with a Fire Fighting 1 system with two FFS 6200 gpm pumps driven by two Caterpillar engine C18 respectively. Each of the fire pumps have foam proportioner valves to add foam capability to the off ship fire fighting system

The electrical plant consists of two identical John Deere 6068AFM85 diesel gen-sets, each with a power output of 125 eKw 480V, 3-Ph, 60 Hz.

Ship-handling fenders at the bow consist of one tier of 36” OD x 18” ID cylindrical fender at the main deck level with 16” thick double loop soft fenders between the main deck and the knuckle at bow and along the sheer lines of main deck. 16” OD x 8” ID cylindrical fendering is used at the stern.

For more information on the Z-Tech® 30-80 tug or on any other high-performance vessel designs developed by Robert Allan Ltd., please contact design@ral.ca.

Photos courtesy of Robert Mihovil.