Damen's Fuel Flexible Tugs are designed to meet current and future demands equally well One of the biggest challenges in the maritime industry today is fuel uncertainty. It's hard to predict which fuels will be availab...
Damen's Fuel Flexible Tugs are designed to meet current and future demands equally well
One of the biggest challenges in the maritime industry today is fuel uncertainty. It's hard to predict which fuels will be available or affordable in the future, so having flexible options is crucial.
Competitive in today's market...
This is the idea behind Damen Shipyards Group’s Fuel Flexible (FF) Tugs Range. These vessels are built to be easily converted to different fuel solutions as their operational life progresses.
“When you invest in a tug today, it needs to perform well in the current market,” says Erik van Schaik, Damen’s Product Manager for Tugs.
...ready for tomorrow's
“However, these tugs will probably be in use for about thirty years, and market conditions are likely to change during that time. Our Fuel Flexible Tugs can run on diesel but are designed to adapt as we learn more about future options.”
These tugs can operate completely on carbon-neutral HVO biofuel and have space to add a battery and switchboard or a methanol propulsion system when the time is right.
Future-proof design
The tugs are built with a future-proof class notation for methanol compatibility. They’re also ready to incorporate a Damen Ultra Low Emission Vessel (ULEV) system, which combines a diesel particulate filter (DPF) to cut carbon emissions with an existing selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system to reduce marine NOx emissions by 80%.
Damen has chosen the fuel options for the FF range based on in-depth analysis of various operational scenarios and potential alternative solutions.
Options for various operations
For example, a tug operating on short and predictable routes in a port might work best with a zero-emission solution using batteries and shore power.
For tugs that operate in less predictable areas or further from shore, methanol as a carbon-neutral fuel is likely to be more suitable.
Damen sees a strong potential for methanol to be used as a future fuel for tugs.
The current series
Currently, Damen has developed two tugs in this series. The ASD Tug 2713 FF, which weighs 397 gross tonnes and measures 27 x 13 meters, is ideal for port operations. With a bollard pull of 90 tonnes, it’s suitable for handling large vessels like LNG carriers and has a diesel tank capacity of approximately 126m3 (or around 115m3 for methanol).
Damen has also designed a longer version, the ASD Tug 3313 FF, which weighs 497 gross tonnes. This 33 x 13-meter tug has a diesel tank capacity of around 240m3 and a methanol capacity of about 200m3. It offers 100 tonnes of bollard pull and has an extensive aft deck of 110m2, which can support up to 5 tonnes per m2.
Thanks to its size and abilities, the ASD Tug 3313 FF can handle a range of tasks, including long-distance towing, buoy and anchor handling, oil pollution control, salvage operations, standby and rescue missions, and firefighting with a capacity of up to 7,200 m3 per hour.
Damen is also in the early stages of developing a third tug, the ASD Tug 2512 FF, which will have an 80-tonne bollard pull. This tug takes inspiration from Damen’s successful Reversed Stern Drive (RSD) Tug 2513 but offers more versatility as an ASD Tug to handle a wider array of tasks.
Investing with confidence
When creating the FF Tugs range, Damen carefully considered the capital expenditure (CAPEX) concerns of vessel owners and operators.
“Owners and operators face challenges beyond just the uncertainty of future fuel options,” Erik states. “They also need to think about how to cover the costs of these solutions before they become necessary.”
The eco-friendly design of these tugs makes them more likely to secure funding. Furthermore, the design itself ensures cost-efficiency.
“We’ve created extra space for potential future installations. To handle the additional pressure of methanol, we’ve used various welding techniques and tank designs and positioned insulation strategically. However, other than these factors, the construction changes are minimal. The result is a series of vessels that are cost-competitive with current standard models. There will be conversion costs in the future, but this will happen when the market conditions are clearer and when the investment can be expected to yield returns.
“Essentially, preparing for future requirements during the design phase isn’t costly. If you don’t consider future needs and build a conventional tug that you later want to adapt, it can be very expensive, or even impossible,” he concludes.