CONTAINERTUG has developed a tug boat that can be handled like a 20-foot container can be shipped around the globe and trucked to even the remotest of locations by a 4x4 / 6x6 truck with a knucklehead crane.
ContainerTug designs mini version that can be moved as easily as a TEU boxCONTAINERTUG has developed a tug boat that can be handled like a 20-foot container can be shipped around the globe and trucked to even the remotest of locations by a 4x4 / 6x6 truck with a knucklehead crane.
According to the developer's director Bob Scheiberlich the mini tug may offer operators savings of up to 80 per cent on transport costs and help meet increased short-term demand for flexible capacity that can be rapidly deployed at ports during peak periods such as port construction and dredging, reported London's Port Finance International.
"There are situations where a small tug may be required but may not be part of the local scene and available to those involved," Mr Scheiberlich said. "When working on construction or dredging projects mobilisation, installation, dismantling and demobilisations are always fairly large costs, especially on smaller projects."
The firm has launched the ContainerTug CT600S to meet this demand with a collapsible wheelhouse that can be quickly added to the hull at the site. The CT600S has length 6.06 metres by breadth 2.44 metres with a draught of one metre.It has a depth during transportation of 2.59 metres which extends to 3.55 metres when the wheelhouse is fully assembled. “If you relate [transportation costs for] the CT600S against say a small harbour tug required at Cost Rica’s Moin project, for the tug you would be looking at bulk cargo rates being € 6.174 one way while for the CT600 you would pay 1x 20’ container rate ~ € 1.300,” Scheiberlich added.The increase in dredging activity at ports around the world to provide access for deeper vessels often creates a short term demand for flexible capacity that can be rapidly deployed at a site.“When for example you have to dredge a medium size port in say Takoradi, Ghana for your floating equipment this would often involve transport overseas by cargo ships or submersible like Jumbo etc. even for small auxiliaries this means in-survey / sea-fastening / insurances / on-off loading specials / etc,” Scheiberlich said.“Compare this to a small tug which handles like a 20’container can be shipped ‘standard’ around the globe and trucked to even the remotest of locations by 4x4 / 6x6 truck with a knucklehead crane.”
