Ulstein enters new market. Ocean going tugs

ULSTEIN has sold design and equipment packages for four ocean going tugs to Niigata Shipbuilding & Repair in Japan. The vessels will be built for the Dutch company ALP Maritime Services.

The vessels are primarily designed for towing of large structures over long distances. This is a new market for ULSTEIN and the contract represents so far the highest value in one single contract for Ulstein Design & Solutions. The vessels of the SX157 design are developed especially for this project in close collaboration with ALP. They are expected to deliver in the range of 300 ton bollard pull, and will be 88.9 metres long and 21 metres wide.

“This is a very important contract, involving activities in a new market for us and with a new customer involved. The contract is a result of close cooperation with the shipyard, the ship owner and our partners in the Norwegian maritime cluster, a cooperation we will work to develop further in the years to come,” says deputy CEO Tore Ulstein in Ulstein Group.

 “An oceangoing tug typically tow 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. This is a niche market where we see that our solutions can be a positive contribution,” says managing director Sigurd Viseth in Ulstein Design & Solutions.

Safer. Smarter. Greener

“Within each project we work strategically in order to come up with safer, smarter and greener solutions. ALP refers to these four ships as the ‘ALP Future Class’. When developing the design we had to ensure that each vessel has the sufficient bollard pull and operational reliability to handle even the heaviest tows by only two vessels. Environment and fuel efficiency have also been important criteria. The vessels are classed with DNV’s Clean Design and Ice Class 1B notations, which allow operation also in restricted zones. Additionally, they are equipped as anchor handling vessels including stern roller, a three-drummed winch with 400-ton hoisting capacity, and with chain lockers for rig chain. The ships have a comfortable and spacious accommodation for 35 persons reflecting long periods at sea.”

Viseth does not wish to comment the value of the contracts, but explains that ULSTEIN, in addition to providing the design, is also responsible for the deliveries of main components, such as engines, thrusters and propellers, winch, power distribution and thruster drives, control system and communication system.

ALP Maritime Services is a new ship owner for ULSTEIN. The company is a subsidiary of Teekay Offshore Partners L.P.

The vessels will be built at Niigata Shipbuilding & Repair, a yard in the MES group (Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding Co.). The vessels are intended for worldwide operations, and are planned for delivery by Q4 2015 and Q1 2016.