Schottel Rudderpropellers for
US-built terminal and escort tugs
One of the tugs for Bay Houston Towing in the United States (Source: Schottel)
The first three out of ten terminal and escort tugs equipped with Schottel Rudderpropellers and Vulkan’s Safeguard Basic driveline protection systems have been delivered by Gulf Island Fabrication to Bay Houston Towing Co in the United States. The Robert Allan-designed vessels – Mark E. Kuebler, Ted C. Litton and Connelly M – are Z-tech 30-80 tugs each equipped with a pair of Caterpillar 3516E main engines and Schottel Rudderpropellers type SRP 510 with a fixed-pitch propeller of 2.8m diameter. This arrangement ensures a free sailing speed ot 13 knots and a bollard pull of 81.5 tons. The tugs are also equipped with FiFi 1 fire-fighting systems.
Vulkan Couplings’ Safeguard Basic analyses dynamic data to ensure that preset warning and alarm load levels are not exceeded, and to trigger alerts to indicate that intervention by the captain is required. The system covers the entire service speed range and is backed up by Safeguard Active which protects the propulsion drive train from overloads and enables preventive maintenance and systematic spare parts management.
The Schottel/Vulkan combination is available as a package, both for newbuildings and Schottel system retrofits.
