Spanish Tug Owner Banks on Reliability Of Voith Schneider Propellers

The Spanish Astilleros Zamakona shipyard, well-versed in the construction of Voith Water Tractors, is currently building two powerful multi-purpose tugs. The new Voith Water Tractors are based on a design by Robert Allan Ltd.

Boluda Corporación Marítima subsidiary of Boluda Towage and Salvage has started a new tug building program in order to increase its current tug capability operating and services in the Spanish Ports. This new program comprises the building of up to ten Advanced Voith Water Tractors (AVT) of 80 tons of bollard pull in the next five years. The first two are already under construction in Astilleros Zamakona Pasaia with delivery in the 4th quarter of 2016.

The project has been developed jointly between Robert Allan Ltd. and the technical team of Boluda combining the experience in design of Robert Allan Ltd. and the practical knowledge in towing operations and management of Boluda, giving as a result a tug that increases the standards in towing operations becoming a reference tug of Boluda for the coming future.

Boluda has chosen the equipment on board among marine leader companies in its duties and based on the previous experiences: MaK as engine, Ibercisa as deck machinery and Voith Turbo Schneider Propulsion GmbH & Co. KG as propellers supplier.

The two compact tugs have a length of 31.57 meters, a beam of 12.8 meters. Equipped with two 32R5/265-2 Voith Schneider Propellers (VSP), two 1330 DTL Turbo Couplings, two RENK bow-tooth couplings and a control stand in each of the two multi-purpose tugs they ensure reliable propulsion and excellent maneuverability in ports and at sea.