Schottel has been selected to equip a newly built harbour tugboat for the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (SLSDC) with medium-sized azimuth thrusters. The vessel is under construction at the US shipyard Washburn and Doughty in Maine.
The tug is scheduled for delivery in 2021. She will be used to carry out a variety of construction and maintenance duties for the US portion of the St. Lawrence Seaway. These duties include routine maintenance of lock gates, maintenance and positioning of aids to navigation, ice management and removal of accumulated ice from lock walls.
Two SRP 210 FP Schottel rudder propellers, each of 500 kW, with propellers measuring 1.4 metres in diameter, will be powered by a pair of EPA Tier 3 diesel engines, resulting in a free running speed of approximately 14.5 knots.
The thrusters will be equipped with Schottel's patented and DNV-GL type-approved LEACON system, which ensures permanent monitoring of the propeller shaft and steering seals. Considered as a non-oil-to-water interface, this system complies with VGP regulations of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) without the need to use environmentally acceptable lubricants (EALs).
At 18.30 metres in overall length, the tug is just the right size for manoeuvring inside lock chambers. At the same time, it has an 8.50-metre-wide beam for improved performance in ice and enhanced stability for deck crane operations.