The tugboat operator Svitzer has commissioned the Damen Shipyards Group to build a new multi-purpose tugboat. Delivery is scheduled for the end of 2026.
Following delivery, the vessel will be based in the Port of Bristol, where it will carry out various harbour towing services. It is the first Damen ASD Tug 2312 that Svitzer will operate in Bristol.
The multi-purpose ASD Tug 2312 has a bollard pull of 70 t. The combination of Damen’s patented Twin-Fin Skeg and two azimuth stern drives is designed to enable the vessel to manoeuvre precisely, even in confined spaces within the port.
The vessel features an open working deck and a covered towing winch, which allows for operations from both the bow and the stern. The accommodation is designed to house a crew of six.
Standard-design tug
The 23-metre-long ASD Tug 2312 is 12 metres wide and has a draught of 5.4 metres. The vessel is based on Damen’s tried-and-tested standardised design. It is a design that Damen produces ‘off the shelf’ and can therefore deliver quickly.
The tug is powered by two Caterpillar 3512TA engines with a combined output of 3,805 kW. According to Damen, two 2.8-metre azimuth stern thrusters, together with the twin-fin configuration, ensure ‘exceptional’ manoeuvrability.
The ASD Tug 2312 is fitted with the NOx reduction system developed and classified by Damen, and thus meets the emission requirements of the IMO Tier III standard. The exhaust after-treatment system reduces nitrogen oxide emissions by around 80 per cent compared with the IMO Tier II limits.
In addition, the tug is fitted with a modular FiFi-1 fire-fighting system, which is integrated during construction. Depending on the pump configuration selected, the system can deliver between 1,200 and 2,400 m³ of water per hour for external fire-fighting operations.
