Rotortug Bv News

Signet Sirius, the first of two ART 92-32W Rotortugs was recently delivered by Signet Maritime at their Pascagoula Shipbuilding and Repair facility. This is the first ART Rotortug that Signet has built and operated in their fleet. Designed by Robert Allan Ltd. in collaboration with RotorTug BV, the Advanced Rotortugs (ART) incorporate the patented triple Z-drive Rotortug propulsion layout, featuring omni-directional maneuverability, and the benefits of a fully redundant and precise propulsion machinery configuration.

Being based just across the open border between Canada and America since 1930, Robert Allan Ltd. has developed a deep understanding of the American market and just how our ship designs can be tailored to suit our neighbors’ requirements. America is unique in many ways. The current designs of American towing vessels are largely the result of domestically focused requirements not encountered elsewhere. As a result, Robert Allan Ltd. has had to learn to treat America as unique and not to assume means and methods used elsewhere will suit the U.S. market. A simple example is the use of the U.S.

The Royal Association of Netherlands Shipowners (KVNR) has awarded its Shipping Award to Netherlands-based towage operator KOTUG for its next-generation ART80-32 Hybrid Rotortugs. The award was presented during the 10th Dutch Maritime Awards Gala in Rotterdam by Tineke Netelenbos, chairman of the KVNR Shipping Award jury, who stated, “The propulsion configuration of these new-generation ART80-32 Hybrid Rotortugs series draws on the proven design of KOTUG’s RT Adriaan, world’s first hybrid Rotortug built under class. In 2012 KOTUG retrofitted this conventional Rotortug into a hybrid Rotortug.

On June 18, 2015, the Damen-built ART 80-32 Hybrid Rotortug RT Emotion was named in the Port of Bremerhaven during KOTUG’s annual Herring Party. Annika Bootsman-Kleberg, Member of the Wallenius’ Board and granddaughter of Olof Wallenius, Swedish entrepreneur and founder of Wallenius Lines, performed the naming of RT Emotion in attendance of her family, friends, KOTUG’s business relations and representatives of Damen Shipyards Group. KOTUG chose the Lady Sponsor to express its…

On May 18th, 2015, the Damen-built ART 80-32 Hybrid RotortugRT Evolution was named at the Greenwich Ship Tier in London during the cocktail reception of ‘Tugnology Conference’. Mrs Elizabeth Brunton-Reed, spouse of The ABR Company’s Chairman Mr Allan Brunton-Reed, performed the christening of RT Evolution in attendance of her family and Tugnology delegates. KOTUG chose the sponsor lady to express its appreciation and gratitude for the commitments and achievements of The ABR Company. KOTUG’s CEO Ard-Jan Kooren stated: “We are proud that Mrs Elizabeth Brunton-Reed accepted our invitation. KOTUG nowadays operate three hybrid Rotortugs. RT Adriaan and RT Evolution are operating in the Port of Rotterdam and RT Emotion commenced her towage activities in the German port of Bremerhaven recently.

Robert Allan Ltd. The RT Discovery and RT Endeavour, ART 80-32 class Rotortugs, have been delivered by Cheoy Lee Shipyards to Owner’s Elisabeth Ltd. The vessels are currently in Hong Kong and are ready for deployment to a busy commodity Port in Western Australia. These two vessels represent the first half of Elisabeth Ltd’s four boat order with Cheoy Lee Shipyards. The Advanced Rotortug (ART) designs incorporate the patented triple Z-Drive Rotortug, concept, featuring enhanced omni-directional maneuverability and the benefits of a fully redundant and precise propulsion machinery configuration.

Second ART 80-32 Rotortug delivered to Elisabeth Ltd. RT Endeavour, the second of four Rotortugs on order with Cheoy Lee shipyards Ltd. and designed by Robert Allan Ltd., sailed Hong Kong waters Saturday, November 15, 2014 on her way from the build yard to her new owner Elisabeth Ltd., who took delivery of the vessel in Hong Kong. The Rotortug distinguishes itself from the conventional ASD, Tractor or Voith Schneider designs by using a triangular propulsion configuration. The…

Robert Allan Ltd informs of the signing of two contracts during a recent Canadian Trade Mission to the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The first signing covered the new ART 80-32, designed by Robert Allan Ltd. and incorporating a hybrid propulsion system developed by Aspin Kemp & Associates (AKA). The vessels are under construction at the Damen Shipyard in Poland and will enter the KOTUG fleet later this year. The second signing covered the recently awarded contract for three offshore Rotor tugs, destined for service at the Shell “Prelude” FLNG facility off the coast of Northern Western Australia.

Canadian Minister of Industry, the Honorable James Moore, visited the KOTUG’s Headquarters and sailed on board of the hybrid Rotortug RT Adriaan, the so-called E-KOTUG, in the Port of Rotterdam. The Prime Minister, Stephen Harper and the Minister of Industry, James Moore of the Government of Canada combined the Nuclear Security Summit in The Hague with a working trip to the Port of Rotterdam. The visit to Rotterdam was focused on highlighting the trade and business relations between Canada and Europe.

The Rotterdam based shipping company Rotortug and ASD Ship Design from Alblasserdam have invented a revolutionary tugboat technology (‘tugnology’) to prevent towline failures from chafing against a tugboats fixed towing point. Conventional towing point designs are usually fixed bitts fitted with polished and stainless steel cladding in line contact areas guiding a towline to a towing winch. Using state of the art towing winches, towlines are winched in and out automatically by using a pre‐set line force to prevent both dynamic overloads and slack wires.