Turkey’s Sanmar Shipyard has completed a five-vessel tug order for Smit Lamnalco for operation at three LNG export terminals at the Port of Gladstone on Australia’s east coast.
Delivery of the last of the series, SL Wiggins Island is now due to join sister vessels: SL Curtis Island, SL Quoin Island, SL Boyne Island and SL Heron Island.
All five modified Robert Allan RAstar 3400 designs were delivered in a short time scale, the first, SL Curtis Island in December 2014. The series are classed by BV and in full compliance with Australian Maritime Authority safety regulations.
They all measure in at 34m length and 14.5m beam with a 6m draught. Main propulsion is via a pair of Wärtsilä 8L26 diesels.
The series are described as “LNG proof” and are equipped with gas detectors and gas-tight dampers on air inlets and outlets. All electrical deck equipment including towing winches, navigation lights, outside lights and emergency stop buttons are built to explosion-proof standards.
The electric gas-tight dampers are remotely controlled by the gas safety system utilising a two stage alarm; one at 20% lower explosion limit (LEL) and a second at 40% LEL. Closing of the dampers is controlled by the crew from the wheelhouse and all non-explosion proof electrical equipment including radar, searchlight and windscreen wipers can be switched off via a single button in the event of a gas alarm.
Sanmar said the RAstar 3400 design represents “a truly unique development in terminal escort tug design with many new features.” A user-friendly control system has been designed using touchscreen technology to control the vessel’s systems, backed up by conventional controls. Towing winches are powered by two 75kW electrical motors driven by separate frequency drives and inverters providing full redundancy.
Article adapted from www.maritimejournal.com by Peter Barker.
