SCHOTTEL to Supply Propulsion for Seabulk Newbuilds
German propulsion manufacturer SCHOTTEL announced it has been awarded a contract from Alabama shipbuilder Master Boat Builders to supply a total of six rudderpropellers for a pair of new tugs being constructed for U.S.-based Seabulk Towing Inc, a subsidiary of SEACOR Holdings Inc.
Both Robert Allan Ltd.-designed newbuilds will feature the Advanced Rotortug (ART) design triangular propulsion system.
The tugs will be propelled by three SCHOTTEL Rudderpropellers type SRP 430 FP with a propeller diameter of 2.4 meters, each driven by a 1,771-kilowatt diesel engine. With this propulsion system, each vessel will achieve a free running speed of 14.5 knots. They will also have a bollard pull of approximately 80 metric tons, which is sufficient for maneuvering ultra-large containerships.
The ART incorporates the patented triple Z-drive Rotortug concept, featuring omnidirectional maneuverability and fully redundant and precise propulsion machinery configuration. The triple Z-drive also offers increased redundancy for ship-handling and escort towing, as well as enhanced crew safety, SCHOTTEL said.
Daniel Thorogood, President of Seabulk, said, “These tugs represent the latest in technological innovation and showcase our responsiveness to structural and environmental stewardship changes in the shipping sector. With SCHOTTEL Rudderpropellers, we are highlighting Seabulk’s ongoing commitment to provide the best available equipment to serve our customers’ developing demands.”
The new vessels – scheduled for the second half of 2021 and 2022 – will operate alongside the company’s existing harbor fleet in the Gulf of Mexico and the U.S. East Coast.