Construction recently began on two new pusher tugs in a series ordered by Brazilian river transport company Hermasa Navegacao da Amazonia.
The tugs were designed by Canadian naval architecture firm Robert Allan Ltd and will be tailored to the unique conditions of the Madeira River system in Brazil's Amazon region.
The vessels will handle barges transporting grain in the region. Once in service, they will be able to operate on B100 biodiesel as well as conventional marine diesel.
The tugs will be designed for shallow-draught operation, enabling safe and efficient navigation throughout the Amazon River basin. When completed, each vessel will be capable of pushing up to 20 barges with a combined cargo capacity of 32,000 tonnes.
Each tug will have an LOA of 30 metres, a moulded beam of 12 metres, a moulded depth of 3.2 metres, a draught of only 2.3 metres, and accommodation for up to 10 crewmembers.
The vessels will be designed to Brazilian flag rules and will be certified as inland navigating vessels by the American Bureau of Shipping under the class notation ✠ A1 River Service, Towing Vessel, ✠ AMS.
