Damen to build tug for Royal Navy
Damen Shipyards has been contracted by Serco to deliver a tug to support the Royal Navy’s two new aircraft carriers at the Portsmouth naval base, Damen announced on 12 February.
The deal forms a part of Serco’s contract to provide marine services to the UK Ministry of Defence.
Damen’s Advanced Rotortug (ART) 80-32 tug will meet the towing flexibility, power (80 tonnes Bollard Pull) and manoeuvrability needed to support the Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers.
The 32.9m ART features the Rotortug propulsion system consisting of three azimuthing thrusters which provide omni-directional manoeuvrability, and a fully redundant and precise machinery configuration.
Serco has specified a number of modifications to the design, including a double drum render /recovery aft winch for redundancy and a foldable mast for safe working under the flight deck overhang. The vessel will also be fitted with controllable pitch propellers in the place of the usual fixed pitch propellers found on other ART 80-32 vessels.
Damen has started building the tug and is expected to deliver it to Serco in early 2017.
Iain MacLeod, business operations manager, Serco Marine Services, said: ‘There were significant challenges to be met with respect to vessel power, manoeuvrability, customisation and delivery time, but once again, it was a pleasure to deal with Damen who more than rose to the challenge.'
More from Naval Warfare
-
![US Navy takes delivery of New Jersey SSN]()
US Navy takes delivery of New Jersey SSN
The USN’s Virginia-class SSNs are replacing the old Los Angeles-class SSNs. The Virginia-class SSNs are fitted with the latest sensors and weapons and around 48 submarines are planned, with a total of 38 currently ordered.
-
![BMT and DNV partner to meet Australia’s heavy landing craft requirement]()
BMT and DNV partner to meet Australia’s heavy landing craft requirement
Under Project Land 8710 Phase 2, Australia has been seeking to acquire an undisclosed number of Littoral Manoeuvre Vessels to replace the Balikpapan-class. The programme has an estimated value of AU$1.4 billion (US$910 million), with IOC slated for 2032.
-
![Babcock to take over upkeep of Royal Navy Type-23 frigates]()
Babcock to take over upkeep of Royal Navy Type-23 frigates
The Royal Navy’s Type-23 Duke-class frigates for the UK Royal Navy were designed as anti-submarine warfare (ASW) ships but now have a multi-role function. Of the 16 Type 23s built, 12 remain in service with the Royal Navy and will be replaced by the Type-26 frigates before 2035.
-
![Austal completes autonomy trials with former Royal Australian Navy patrol boat]()
Austal completes autonomy trials with former Royal Australian Navy patrol boat
The work took place under the Patrol Boat Autonomy Trial (PBAT), which has been a collaboration between Austal, Greenroom Robotics, the Trusted Autonomous Systems Defence Cooperative Research Centre and the Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN) Warfare Innovation Navy Branch.
-
![Singapore launches fourth and final Type 218SG submarine]()
Singapore launches fourth and final Type 218SG submarine
The era of southeast Asian submarine modernisation has been in full swing fuelled by growing tensions in the South China Sea.
