Damen Introduces New ASD Tug
Introducing the ASD Tug 2913 – compact, powerful and ideal for busy ports.
Damen Shipyards Group is launching a new vessel type in its ASD Tug series. The ASD Tug 2913 has been designed primarily as a highly manoeuvrable, powerful tug, ideally suited for busy harbours where space is limited. Petersen & Alpers (Germany) is the launching customer for the new tug, which will be delivered end 2014.
The new type answers market demand for more powerful tugs as vessels continue to get larger and for more spacious accommodation.
Damen Shipyards is proud to announce that it already has a launching customer for the new tug, the highly esteemed German towage operator Petersen & Alpers, which is one of the oldest maritime companies in Germany.
Frank de Lange, Damen Sales Director South, North and West Europe, explains why Damen decided to introduce a new tug type in the ASD series. “Vessel sizes are increasingly growing, while ports are still restricted to their physical size. Customers were requesting more powerful tugs, but they still have to be compact so they can operate in harbours which are lacking space.”
75 tonnes plus bollard pull
This new tug Standard slots in between the Damen ASD Tug 2810 with a 60 tonnes bollard pull and the highly powerful offshore terminal ASD Tug 3212, which was recently introduced. Developing a new compact type with a bollard pull of 75-80 tonness was really a logical step for the Damen series, he adds. “For the ASD Tug 2913 we adopted a similar design philosophy as for the new ASD Tug 3212 and although the vessel is primarily a harbour tug, it also has very good seakeeping capabilities.”
At 13 m wide, the vessel is very stable and very comfortable for the crew. The new type has push/pull capabilities and can be fitted with an aft winch as an option. The tug is also the first Damen tug to have a double hull to comply with the latest safety regulations and to answer customer demand.
Petersen & Alpers launch customer
Peter Lindenau, Managing Director of Petersen & Alpers, is very pleased to be the launching customer for the new tug. This will be the second Damen tug in the company’s fleet, following on from an ASD Tug 2411, which has been in operation for the last four years in Hamburg. And indeed, through a previous joint venture via its affiliated company TOWMAR BALTIC in Klaipeda with Smit, Petersen & Alpers also had experience of the Damen ASD Tug 2810.
“We have had a good experience with Damen tugs and have also seen our competitors using them!” says Mr Lindenau. “The crew were very happy with our first Damen tug and that is very important to us. The quality of the build, the 2411’s performance was what we were looking for. It has proven itself in being able to operate bow-to-bow when a lot of ASD tugs have problems doing this properly.”
The ASD Tug 2411 is performing well and is great at going alongside, making fast and the thrust is easily controlled with the slipping clutch, he emphasises. “And with Rolls-Royce thrusters and Caterpillar 3516 engines the acceleration is great.”
“Our new Damen vessel will be particularly suited for the port of Hamburg, which has very small basins”, he stresses. “Seagoing vessels are getting bigger and bigger. A highly maneuverable, compact tug with more power was needed. So the Damen ASD Tug 2913 was the right tool for Hamburg.”
Ideal for ports
Low maintenance costs are also important, he says. The company has had a good experience with the ASD Tug 2411, which requires only limited maintenance because the coating is such good quality. Crucially, Petersen & Alpers has a great deal of confidence in Damen. “We trust each other, which is the most important. It is not just price but performance, service and maintenance.”
“We are lucky to be the launching customer. We have been able to have a lot of input, with Damen really listening to our requirements.” For instance, Petersen & Alpers requested an oil fired heating system. Mr Lindenau adds: “Perhaps we look at things in a similar way to Damen, both being family owned companies; we are always considering the next generation, so a long-term, trusting relationship is very important.”
“We are always there to support our clients and we hope we can assist Petersen & Alpers in their success,” Mr de Lange says.
There has been such a lot of interest in the new Standard that Damen has already started building for stock.
