VESSEL REVIEW | Pax – Escort and firefighting tug to serve Poland’s Gdansk Port

Albwardy Damen in the UAE recently handed over a new ASD harbour tug to Polish towage company WUZ Port and Maritime Services.

Pax was designed in compliance to Polish flag and Bureau Veritas class requirements to satisfy the demand for a compact, highly manoeuvrable tug that is also capable of delivering a high bollard pull. Its main area of operations is the Polish port of Gdansk where it will provide escort and ship handling of tankers, container vessels, bulk carriers, and drilling rigs. It will also be used as a terminal support tug for a future LNG import and regasification facility that will be built in the same area.

Although measuring only 28.57 by 11.43 metres to allow efficient navigation in port waters, the tug can achieve a bollard pull of over 60 tonnes as well as a maximum speed of 13.7 knots, thanks to its two Caterpillar 3512C 1,902kW main engines driving Kongsberg Maritime US205 azimuthing thrusters. Auxiliary power is available in the form of two Caterpillar C4.4 107kVA generators.

The deck equipment includes a five-tonne electrically driven capstan and a hydraulically driven towing winch with one split drum. The foredeck has a completely flush design optimised for various towing modes, giving the multi-purpose tug optimal performance. The ergonomic deck layout meanwhile ensures easy access to the winch and other machinery when needed.

For firefighting, the tug relies on two FiFi1 monitors connected to 1,300m³/h pumps.

The wheelhouse electronics consist of an autopilot and a GPS from Simrad, an EPIRB and a SART from Jotron, two Sailor VHF radios, and a radar, an AIS, and an echosounder and displays from Furuno. Accommodation spaces are meanwhile available for a crew of eight.