Washburn & Doughty (W&D)(, East Boothbay, Me., reports that it has executed a new vessel construction contract with Moran Towing Corporation, of New Canaan, Conn., to build two 86’ x 36’ ASD-Type Ship Assist and Escort Z-Drive Tugs, with options to build up to eight additional vessels.

The first two 86’ tugs will be delivered by the shipyard in 2020, with the shipbuilder’s team of in-house naval architects and designers completing the vessels’ production designs based on the contract plans and regulatory package prepared by Jensen Maritime Consultants, Inc.

The contract includes four, two-tug options keyed to production milestones of the tugs then under construction and these tugs are expected to be a combination of the 86’ Jensen design and W&D’s 82 metric ton bollard, 93’ x 38’ design, 14 of which are currently in service in the Moran fleet.

Each tug will be built and classed to fully comply with ABS standards, Maltese Cross A1, Maltese Cross AMS, Towing Vessel, Escort Vessel, and UWILD. The tugs will also be built and inspected to fully comply with all applicable USCG Subchapter M (Towing Vessel) regulations.

Caterpillar Marine will provide two Model 3512E – HD (High Displacement) marine propulsion engines rated 2,549 bhp / 1.901 bkW at 1800 RPM, EPA Tier IV and IMO III certified for each 86’ tug. Two Rolls-Royce (now Kongsberg) US 205P20 FP azimuth thrusters, with steering controlled by an Aquapilot control system, will drive 2400mm fixed pitch propellers. This propulsion package is expected to produce a bollard pull in excess of 63 metric tons.

Two ship service generator sets, each rated at 99 kW, 120/208 VAC, 3-phase and 60 Hz, and set up for parallel operation will be provided. The engines will be John Deere model 4045AFM85.

The main switchboard will be supplied by Power Panels, Inc. and will feature full parallel with seamless transfer and split bus operation. It will be arranged for primary distribution of 208 VAC 3-phase, 60 Hz power.

Deck machinery will include a Markey DEPC-48, 50 HP, electric hawser winch on the fore deck and a Markey CEW60 electric capstan on the aft deck. The hawser winch control console will be located in the pilothouse, with an emergency brake release/brake hold button located on the forward deckhouse bulkhead.

Bow fendering will consist of one upper course of 18” and one lower course of 36” cylindrical fenders. The bow fendering will be completed by 16” soft loop, 11” mat style laminated rubber, and 12” x 14” D-shaped fendering. 12” x 14” D-shaped sheer fendering will extend aft from the middle bow fender and around the stern.

Accommodations will be provided for six crew members in four staterooms.

“We are proud to have earned Moran’s continued business and we look forward to working with them on this significant project,” says W&D’s Chairman of the Board Bruce Doughty. “We know the standards to which Moran holds its fleet and it feels good to know that Washburn & Doughty tugs will continue to serve their crews up and down the East Coast and Gulf of Mexico.”

(Source: MarineLog)