Eastern Shipbuilding Bags Four Z-drive Tugs Order

 

Bay-Houston Towing Co. announced it has contracted with Eastern Shipbuilding in Panama City, Florida to build four new z-drive tractor/ASD tugs. The new tugs will utilize the popular and proven Z-Tech 2400 series designed by naval architect Robert Allen. The new builds are currently under construction with the delivery of the first tug scheduled in December of this year.

The four new Z-Tech 2400’s will join their sister tug, the CHLOE K, which is currently servicing ships calling the Port of Houston. With eight z-drive tugs already in service, these four additional tugs will provide Bay-Houston’s fleet a total compliment of 22 harbor tugs servicing the Ports of Houston, Galveston, Texas City, Corpus Christi and Freeport, Texas.

The vessels dimensions are: Length 80 ft., Beam 38 ft. 3 in., Working Draft 16ft 10 in. Propulsion is provided by twin Tier 3 Caterpillar 3516 C marine diesel engines producing 2575 horsepower each for a total of 5150 horsepower. The tugs are designed for a bollard pull in excess of 60 metric tonnes and free running speed up to 12 knots. The engines are mated with Schottel SRP 1215 Z-drives with 5.718:1 gearing and 94” X 88” fixed pitch propellers in nozzles.

The Hawser winches are Markey 50 HP electric model DEPCF-48S and will be fitted with a 500 ft. long, 9 in. circumference high performance HMPE rope system. The winches have a render recovery function, a Line Tension Display System and braking capacity designed to hold 542,143 lbs.

The Z-Tech 2400 series has proven to be a safe, efficient and powerful tug capable of meeting the unique demands of the ports and ships that Bay-Houston Towing Co. services.  The tug’s compact profile is needed to work in the tight confines of slips in the upper reaches of the Houston Ship Channel.  In addition, the infinite thrust angles from the z-drives combined with the large skeg enable the tug to perform power indirect and direct maneuvers that are required for escort service. Further, with over 60 metric tonnes of bollard pull, this series of tug has the power, and the maneuverability to assist the largest ships calling the Texas Coast; making the 2400 series a very flexible class of tug.

Bay-Houston Towing Co. is confident that these four 2400 series tugs will assist in continuing to meet the ever increasing demand for improved efficiency and safety in the dynamic and diverse ports in which they have operated for over 130 years.  These new builds align well with the Bay-Houston Towing Co. mission to provide the safest, most reliable and efficient service in the industry.