Towage and marine services provider Smit Lamnalco has taken delivery of the 'SL Wiggins Island', the fifth and final tug purpose-built at Sanmar Shipyard in Turkey.
The tugs will service three LNG export terminals in the Port of Gladstone on Australia's east coast. The 80-tonne bollard pull terminal support escort tug will now make her way to Australian waters where she will join her sister vessels at the beginning of July.
The first of the five-ship Robert Allan RAstar 3400 series with modifications, 'SL Curtis Island', was delivered last December and, since then, 'SL Quoin Island', 'SL Boyne Island' and 'SL Heron Island' have been commissioned. The Bureau Veritas-classed tugs are 34 metres long, 14.5 metres wide, have a maximum draught of six metres and have FiFi 1 notation. Powered by a pair of diesel engines, each developing 2,720kW at 1,000 rpm, the tugs have a bollard pull ahead of 86 tonnes, astern of 80 tonnes and a free-running speed of 15 knots.
Built specially to assist the berthing and manoeuvring of LNG carriers, close attention to safety has been paramount. The vessels are equipped with gas detectors and gas-tight dampers on all air inlets and outlets. All electric deck equipment including towing winches, navigation lights, outside lights and emergency stop buttons are of explosion-proof design.
