SCHOTTEL: Control Upgrade Extends Lifecycle on Harbor Tug

Schottel GmbH has  carried out a control upgrade on a seagoing and harbor tug equipped with azimuth thrusters from another manufacturer. Instead of replacing the entire propulsion system (including mechanics and hydraulics), only the  controls were swapped out. 

In order to comply with the latest class requirements, the German vessel owner was forced to modernize the “WULF 9”, a 30-year-old ASD tugboat. Since the required spare parts were obsolete, an alternative had to be found.

“Instead of offering intensive and expensive complete rebuilds, Schottel proved convincing with a customized solution. In addition to the comparatively low conversion costs and the short downtime, it was above all the cooperative partnership and the regional proximity between our location and the Schottel production site in Northern Germany that proved decisive”, states owner and operator Andreas Wulf. “Within two weeks, the lifecycle of the vessel’s electric components was extended by up to 20 years.”

Along with the new control units, the German tug was also given new driving modes. These modes enable the tug owner to optimize the vessel’s operation. This allows operations to be performed more efficiently and comfortably.

WULF 9 was built at Norwegian Båtservice Verft A/S in 1988, andis one of five tugs in owner Andreas Wulf’s fleet. With a bollard pull of 54 tons, the 33.3 m long and 10.0 m wide tug offers a broad range of applications – such as harbor and deepsea towage, salvage, tugboat and pontoon chartering as well as sea transport of heavy goods.