Seattle-based Elliott Bay Design Group has partnered with Tacoma, Wash.-based Silverback Marine to design a compact, 500 horsepower tugboat that can be transported to job sites by truck, the companies revealed in early May.
The tug, with an overall length of 25 feet, 10 7/8 inches, a beam of 14 feet, 6 inches and a draft of 3 feet, 4 inches, is designed to produce a bollard pull over 12,500 pounds and has a still water-range of 60 nautical miles pushing about 10,000 pounds at 4.1 knots.
A bollard pull is a measure of pulling power of a vessel, comparable to horsepower.
The design is available with electric, hybrid or outboard propulsion options and can be customized to fit a specific operation, according to the design group.
The tug can be used in a fleet as an alternative to a traditional, larger vessel and offers flexibility unavailable in standard designs. It also can be operated with a one-person crew and doesn’t require compliance with U.S. Coast Guard Subchapter M Regulations, the designers have said.
The USCG’s Subchapter M outlines towing vessel safety regulations for inspections and standards and options for safety management systems. These regulations are applicable to all U.S.-flag towing vessels that push, pull or haul alongside.
Elliott Bay is a full-service, employee-owned naval architecture and marine engineering firm that supports owners, operators and shipyards with a team of naval architects, engineers, designers and analysts with expertise in designing, supporting and analyzing the feasibility of marine transportation.
Silverback Marine is a team of boat builders offering custom, tailored designs for commercial, aluminum workboats for the marine industry.