Robert Allan, Svitzer & Sanmar Shipyards Announce New Tug Design

[By: Robert Allan]

Canadian Naval Architecture firm Robert Allan Ltd. is pleased to announce a tug design agreement with global towage operator Svitzer. This new vessel incorporates several unique elements and combines them in a package that promises to be safer and more efficient.

Working under guidance from Svitzer’s teams from Technical Innovation, Projects and Engineering, and Marine Operations, an extensive tank testing program was conducted at HSVA, Hamburg. Several iterations of propulsion layout, appendages and towing arrangement were tested in various operating scenarios and the final layout was selected based on optimal performance, controllability, and safety.  CFD validation of performance has been conducted by the hydrodynamics team at Robert Allan Ltd. and the results corroborated with the model testing.

Robert Allan Ltd. thanks Esben Grundtvig, Thomas Bangslund, and Marijan Mustac for their dedication to the project and congratulates Svitzer for their commitment to a game changing concept. Robert Allan Ltd.’s ability to provide unique, flexible and innovative engineering solutions during the early design phases was a key factor in developing a tug that is exclusively customized to Svitzer’s requirements.

Leading tug builder, Sanmar Shipyards of Istanbul, Turkey has been selected for the construction, and the nature of such an advanced and contemporary project will no doubt present many challenges and opportunities during the build process. Robert Allan Ltd., Svitzer and Sanmar have a proven history of co-operation on tug building projects and this latest collaboration will only serve to strengthen this relationship. We are all looking forward to building, testing, and operating this exciting new design.