Baydelta Picks Up Option for Second Nichols Brothers-Built Tug

Baydelta Maritime of San Francisco has exercised its option for a second 100-ft., 6800-hp harbor tug from Nichols Brothers Boat Builders. Meanwhile, an order for a similar tug has been received from Minette Bay Shipdocking, Ltd., of Prince Rupert, British Columbia, the company said. The first tug is expected to be delivered in June, with the second Bay- delta tug due in October. Delivery date for the Minette Bay tug is forecasted for December. According to a Baydelta spokesman, the company’s two tugs will be named the Delta Billie and the Delta Cathryn.

The tugs were designed by Jensen Marine Consultants, Inc., of Seattle with ship handling as their primary purpose, although they will also be fitted for long-haul towing. The vessels will mount Markey Machinery hawser winches forward for ship assist and escort and JonRie stern-mounted towing winches for high seas towing service. The tugs will be equipped with a pair of Tier I compliant 3400-hp Caterpillar 3516C diesel engines. Baydelta’s engines will power two Rolls-Royce 255 Z –drive units. However, the Minette boat will use Nigata ZP41 drives. Increased horsepower is complimented by a heavy skeg to foster ship handling and escorting. Potential Bollard pull has been estimated at 85-90 metric tons ahead and 78-82 astern.

While both the Baydelta and Minette tugs are arranged with space for the ABS Fi-Fi 1 fire fighting systems, the Minette tug will be fitted with the full ABS system with two monitors, a deluge system, and foam tanks. This involves two 6,000 gpm pumps running off the main engines. The deluge system would spot some 30 nozzles throughout the ship to provide protection from flames and high temperatures in fighting fires. The Baydelta tugs will be fitted with 900-gpm fire pumps and monitors. Additional machinery aboard each tug will include two 215-kW Cat C-9 generators and a 27-kW standby, harbor,” generator. The tugs will have unusually commodious and comfortable berthing; while a normal harbor crew will include four people, the Baydelta tugs will accommodate up to 10 crewmen for longer hauls. Facilities also include a laundry, galley, and a spacious crew lounge. Tanks will hold 71,000 gallons of fuel oil, 1500 gallons of lube oil, and 8000 gallons of fresh water. Tanks will also be provided for 1800 gallons of waste oil and 1400 gallons of sewage. The Minette Bay tug will have accommodations for six persons and fuel capacity will be 69,400 gallons. Nichols Brothers also recently signed a contract to participate in building two 108X28-foot, 149-passenger catamarans for the Water Transit Authority in San Francisco Bay for delivery this year. The Incat-Crowther designed low-wash vessels must provide 85% less emissions than required by 2007 EPA regulations. Nichols Brothers will participate with Kvichak Marine of Seattle in building these vessels.