Irish shipbuilder Mooney Boats has completed construction of a compact steel tug for Land and Water Plant Hire, a UK-based operator of specialist equipment in marine, waterways and environmental fields.
Vesta was built at Mooney's yard in Killybegs, County Donegal, and completed in August 2026. She will join the 2017-built Volga, which the builder said is in service with Land and Water.
Road transportability was a requirement from the outset of the project. The tug measures 8.8 metres (29 feet) in LOA and three metres (9.8 feet) across the beam, with an approximate fully laden weight of 14,000 kg (31,000 lb). The draught is 1.2 metres (3.9 feet) aft and 0.75 metres (2.5 feet) forward.
The hull is built from Lloyd's Grade A steel.
Land and Water's marine fleet is made up of road-transportable equipment, including tugs, barges, pontoons and weed-maintenance machinery.
The company said it has operated this fleet for more than 25 years. It describes tugs like Vesta as, "suited to any inland waterway or river".
The newbuild is powered by a Baudouin 6W105M engine with a rated output of 250 hp (190 kW). The engine is connected to a ZF 305-3 gearbox with a reduction of 1.98:1.
Clements Marine supplied the propulsion package, which includes a 700mm four-bladed propeller turning in a 720mm nozzle. The tug achieved a bollard pull of 2.8 tonnes during testing and operates at a service speed of around eight knots. Total fuel capacity is 750 litres (160 gallons).
Engine cooling is provided by a Blokland box cooler installed in a sea chest, with its tubes in direct contact with the water surrounding the hull. Blokland said the coolers can operate in fresh, brackish and saltwater.
A clutched PTO on the gearbox drives the hydraulic system, which powers a Pullmaster PL5 winch for towing and handling. The PL5 is a hydraulically driven planetary winch with equal speed in both directions.
The steering gear is from Wills Ridley while Seaglaze supplied the windows and the doors.
Vesta shares her length, engine and gearbox with Land and Water’s earlier tug Volga, which has a single-chine hull with a pusher bow, though the newer tug has a slightly wider beam.
The builder declared Vesta ready for service on August 24. She will operate alongside Volga in Land and Water's tug fleet.
| Vesta | |
|---|---|
| SPECIFICATIONS | |
| Type of vessel: | Inland tug |
| Flag: | UK |
| Owner: | Land and Water Plant Hire, UK |
| Builder: | Mooney Boats, Ireland |
| Hull construction material: | Steel |
| Length overall: | 8.8 metres (29 feet) |
| Beam: | 3.0 metres (9.8 feet) |
| Draught: | 1.2 metres (3.9 feet) |
| Displacement: | 14,000 kg (31,000 lb) |
| Main engine: | Baudouin 6W105M, 250 hp (190 kW) |
| Gearbox: | ZF 305-3 |
| Propulsion: | Clements Marine propeller |
| Steering system: | Wills Ridley |
| Cruising speed: | 8.0 knots |
| Bollard pull: | 2.8 tonnes |
| Winch: | Pullmaster PL5 |
| Other equipment installed: | Blokland engine cooler |
| Windows: | Seaglaze |
| Interior fitout: | Seaglaze doors |
| Fuel capacity: | 750 litres (160 gallons) |