ULSTEIN has entered into a contract with Dutch company ALP Maritime Services to provide four ocean-going tugs with the SX157 design.
The vessels will be built at Japan’s Niigata Shipbuilding & Repair, a yard in the Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding (MES).
The SX157 design vessels are mainly produced for the towing of large structures over long distances.
The tugs have a length of 88.9m, width of 21m and capacity of 4,250dwt, and are expected to deliver bollard pull in the range of 300t.
In addition to long-distance towing, the vessels can be used for anchor handling, positioning and mooring.
The dynamic positioning class II vessels will have a cargo deck area of 550m² and will be powered by four 18,000kW engines.
The vessels are certified with DNV’s clean design and ice class 1B notations, which allows them to operate in restricted zones as well.
ULSTEIN Design & Solutions managing director Sigurd Viseth said an ocean-going tug typically tows oil rigs, or FPSOs, from the building yards to the installation site at the oil field.
"In addition, these vessels are outfitted with DP2 and anchor handling capacity in order to assist during the installation/hook-up phase for the towed objects. The SX157 have fuel capacity to tow over long distances, with the ability of towing at full power for 45 days," Viseth said.
ULSTEIN Group deputy CEO Tore Ulstein said the contract is a result of close cooperation with the shipyard, the ship owner and their partners in the Norwegian maritime cluster, a cooperation they will work to develop further in the years to come.
The four vessels are scheduled for delivery in the fourth quarter of 2015 and first quarter of 2016.
Image: The SX157 design vessels will tow heavy objects over long distances. Photo: courtesy of Fire Grader/ULSTEIN GROUP ASA.
