Haifa Port Authority News

Zamakona Yards, one of Spain's main shipbuilding and ship-repair groups, has signed a contract with Haifa Port Authority for the construction of Haifa, a Voith Schneider tug boat, to aid in port operations. The newbuilding will be powered by two MAN 8L27/38 engines with delivery set for August 2015. Haifa will be a sister to the Ilan I, which began towing and general harbor operations at Haifa Port in 2012. With a length of 31.5 m and a 12.5-m beam, the new vessel’s Voith Design hull will have a bollard pull of 70 t.

In April, the new Voith Water Tractor (VWT) "Ilan" underwent its official sea trial achieving a speed of 13.5 knots and a bollard pull of 73.5 tons. The Haifa port authority decided in favor of the VWT due to its precise maneuvering capabilities. Each of the two diesel engines supplies the Voith Schneider Propellers with an input power of 2 640 kW. design of the tug in cooperation with the shipyard. Four other VWT equipped with Voith Schneider Propellers already operate successfully in the port of Haifa, one of the largest ports in Israel. The "Ilan" has been designed for a bollard pull of 70 tons whereas those of the other VWTs range between 30 and 55 tons. In recent years, the amount of goods to be handled and thus the shipping traffic in the port of Haifa have been on the increase.