VESSEL REVIEW | Rascal & Rowdy – Powerful ship assist tug pair ideal for small harbours
Longview, Washington-based towage company Brusco Tug and Barge has taken delivery of two new ship handling tugs in a series built by Diversified Marine of Portland, Oregon.
Designed by Canadian naval architecture firm Robert Allan Ltd (RAL), Rascal and Rowdy each have an LOA of 65 feet (20 metres), a moulded beam of 32 feet (9.8 metres), a moulded depth of 11.5 feet (3.5 metres), and a gross tonnage of 159.
The tugs were designed and constructed to comply with all applicable rules and regulations of the US Coast Guard 46CFR, Subchapter M and the American Bureau of Shipping.
Compact yet versatile platforms
RAL said the compact tugs are well suited for harbours where smaller though still powerful ship assist tugs are needed, as well as being available for general harbour towing and coastal towing.
A small wheelhouse allows each tug to get underneath the flare of even smaller vessels with a folding mast allowing reduced air draught. The wheelhouse itself is also fitted with upward-facing windows to permit the helm operator with improved situational awareness, especially when manoeuvring alongside larger vessels.
Also on each tug, two double crew cabins are provided in the lower accommodation, along with a spacious mess and galley.
Lower emissions suitable for extended-duration operations in harbours
The top tier of bow fendering is a Schuyler Maritime laminated fender, which RAL said is ideal for resisting wear. Lower tiers at the bow, down to the waterline, are softer Schuyler SRD-D3 loop fenders with additional loop fendering at the stern and aircraft tyres fitted along the sheer.
Each of the tugs is powered by two Caterpillar C32 main engines, each rated 1,450 hp (1,080 kW) at 2,050 to 2,150 rpm. The engines can deliver a bollard pull of in excess of 38 tonnes and meet US EPA Tier IV emissions requirements with the aid of a selective catalytic reduction-equipped diesel exhaust aftertreatment system.
The engines on each tug power two Berg MTA 522 Z-drives fitted with 87-inch (2,200mm) fixed-pitch propellers while the electrical plant consists of two identical diesel generators, each with a power output of 99 ekW.
Each tug’s tank capacities are 6,900 gallons (31,000 litres) for fuel oil, 1,100 gallons (5,000 litres) for potable water, and 500 gallons (2,000 litres) for diesel exhaust fluid.
