Boluda Towage UK has placed a new RSD tug into service on the River Thames.
VB Boluman has been specifically designed for high performance harbour and escort operations.
Boluda said that she has an 80-tonne bollard pull and full escort notation, thus ensuring she is fully equipped to safely assist the largest vessels navigating the highly tidal and demanding waters of the Thames.
The tug has a length of 24.7 metres, a beam of 13.1 metres, and two Caterpillar 3516C 2,500kW engines that drive Kongsberg azimuthing propellers housed in nozzles. Boluda said this configuration provides outstanding manoeuvrability, precise control, and strong indirect escort forces, even in challenging tidal conditions.
A selective catalytic reduction system with dedicated urea tanks ensures compliance with IMO Tier III NOx emissions standards.
The tug also features a FiFi1 system with two remotely operated monitors with a combined capacity of up to 2,400 cubic metres per hour, enabling the vessel to support emergency response and port safety operations when required.