Macduff Ship Design has handed over a unique multi-purpose mooring maintenance vessel, the 'London Titan', to the Port of London Authority.
Built by the UK's Manor Marine, she is to replace the Port of London's 'Hookness' and 'Crossness' salvage vessels. The 'London Titan' is both Manor Marine's largest vessel built to date, and also the Port of London's largest single investment in 20 years, being built to a cost of £7 million (US$10 million). Manor Marine was chosen to build the vessel after a competitive tender process in which Macduff Ship Design assisted the Port of London with tender documentation and evaluation.
The steel vessel is 36.5 metres long, 13.5 metres wide, has a draught of 2.6 metres and a total depth of 3.5 metres. Propulsion is in the form of a Kort propeller, powered by three Caterpillar C32 engines, each of 383kW at 1,800rpm. A Kort KT150 side thruster at the bow aids manoeuvring.
With a displacement of more than 600 tonnes and total installed power of 2,300kw, the 'London Titan' has two identical folding cranes which are capable of lifting loads of up to 25 tonnes. The vessel's unique design means she can work both at sea and in the higher reaches of the River Thames, with a shallow water draught and low air draught allowing access up river all the way to Richmond Lock, as her folding deck cranes will allow safe passage through the bridges of central London.
