Azimuth Propulsors to be Delivered to a Series of Ramparts Tugboats by Steerprop

UZMAR Shipyards in Turkey is one of the world’s top-notch tugboat builders with a very good reputation worldwide. The company has now chosen Steerprop to deliver six SP 20 WD azimuth propulsion units for a series of three Robert Allan Ltd. designed RAmparts 2300_UZM tugs being built.

The contract for the six SP 20 WD azimuth propulsion units, delivering 1,610 kW of power each, was signed in April 2021 and will be delivered in Q3 2021.

“The Robert Allan designed RAmparts 2300_UZM tugs with 50+ ton of Bollard Pull are very efficient and agile tugs, providing a lot of performance in a compact package”, says Donato Agostinelli, Sales Manager at Steerprop. “Since the tugs will be operating in challenging conditions and performing very different tasks throughout their life, the propulsion units must be efficient and reliable under all circumstances. For these reasons, the units also come with our Condition Monitoring system as standard”

Electrical steering

To increase the achieved BP and to improve the maneuverability of the tugboat, the azimuth propulsors have an electrical steering that enables more efficient use of the main engine’s power compared to hydraulic steering.

“The agile electrical steering system in our Z-drive azimuth propulsion increases overall performance and reduces the running costs of the vessels”, says Agostinelli. “The electrical system can also be upgraded with a battery pack to enhance performance even further, while at the same time lowering the environmental footprint of the system.”

The propulsors’ robust and accurate electric steering gears also offer a constant steering speed, which is essential when performing sensitive tasks like escorting tankers.

“Since the steering uses power only when actively turning, it is very energy-efficient”, Agostinelli says. “In addition, the electrical steering also produces significantly less noise than hydraulic steering systems and requires little service due to its mechanically simple construction.”

Re-entry in the segment

The RAmparts tug classification is the most popular and widely used tug type in the world, thanks to its very flexible design that allows to accommodate different configurations and applications.

“We identified a clear customer need and saw that we could make the necessary changes to our base design in the short time we had at hand”, Agostinelli says. “We think this is a great reference to make a re-entry in a segment that is not new to us, but in which we have not been present for a while.”

Facts

Steerprop is a leading designer and manufacturer of azimuth propulsion systems for the most demanding applications and toughest conditions. Since the founding in Finland in 2000, the company has delivered fit-for-purpose units for hundreds of vessels, including every third icebreaker in operation around the world.

Steerprop’s W Series is a modular and scalable propulsion line with a power range from 900 to 7,000 kW, from which customers can select the configuration that matches their specific needs. The propulsion units can have open or ducted propellers and can be delivered with a Z-drive or L-drive configuration. They comply with the rules of all major classification societies.

Family owned UZMAR was the first private authorized pilotage and towage company in Turkey. In 1996, the company also began building tugboats for its own fleet. Today, UZMAR annually conducts more than 30.000+ successful ship maneuvers while at the same time building and exporting a wide range of different types of vessels to over 22 countries.