Foss Maritime Company to Build New Class of Tugs

Foss Maritime Company of Seattle, Wa., has announced plans to build a new class of the highest horsepower tugs on the West Coast devoted exclusively to ship docking. The new series of 6,250 horsepower Azmuthing Stern Drive (ASD) thruster tugs will be constructed for the use in the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, Calif., by Halter Marine Inc., in Lockport, Lou. This tug is scheduled for arrival early in the fourth quarter of 2001.

The 6,250 hp Detroit Diesel engines are fitted in a hull that will have an overall length of 98 ft. and a beam of 40 ft.

The propulsion driveline consists of the new fuel efficient, electronically controlled Detroit 16V4000 main engines, which exceed California's air quality standards for low emissions. Ulstein high performance series 2,000 H ASD units will be installed on the vessels with Nautical Reflex-Hydrofoil nozzles, stators and highly skewed propellers to increase the thrust per unit of horsepower.

"This propulsion system will develop in excess of 160,000 pounds of static bollard pull ahead," said Scalzo.

The tugs'360 degree wheelhouse visibility, clear deck working area and automated deck machinery supports safe and rapid crew towline handling. A Markey DESG 48 bow hawser winch will use nine-inch Plasma line with a breaking strength of more than 750,000 pounds. Offshore fire fighting capability is included on the tugs to augment the shore side fire protection needs of vessels being docked and other shore side facilities.

This new class of tug will be built for and owned by Marine Resources, Inc., Foss Maritime's parent company and the vessels will be chartered to and operated by Foss. This is the second vessel ordered by Marine Resources Inc., from Halter Marine, and the first in the series will be delivered in early summer to AmNav Maritime Services. Potential future deliveries of this class of ASD tugs are under consideration by Marine Resources for its operating subdiaries.