VESSEL REVIEW | Konna Star – Versatile harbour and spill response tug to serve India’s Deendayal Port

Udupi CSL, a subsidiary of Indian state-owned shipbuilder Cochin Shipyard (CSL), recently handed over a new harbour tug to Polestar Maritime. Named Konna Star, the tug was built to a design by Canadian naval architecture firm Robert Allan Ltd (RAL).

“It is the first harbour tug built in India that conforms to ocean-going parameters of tugs with a bollard pull above 70 tonnes,” Vinit Badani, Director of Polestar Maritime, told Baird Maritime. “It utilises a RAL 33-metre (110-foot) tug design that has been adapted for the unique requirements of Indian ports. We ensured that the tug was suitable for a broad range of operations such as harbour and deep-sea towage, firefighting, and salvage.”

Proven design with allowance for enhancements

Badani explained that the tug needed to be capable of a minimum bollard pull of 70 tonnes using the latest equipment that can generate reduced emissions. It also needed to comply with Indian flag and class requirements, one of which is the availability of accommodation for a minimum of 12 crewmembers.

“We required the tug to be of a proven design that could satisfy both American Bureau of Shipping and Indian Register of Shipping class requirements. Also, it needed to ensure enhanced comfort for the crew as well as reduced environmental impact.”

Dealing with supply chain issues that impacted delivery timelines provided a learning opportunity for the Polestar Maritime team. The company then learned the importance of early ordering of equipment from suppliers to ensure smooth delivery.

“The new tug is built for ocean-going operations with all navigation and communication equipment complying with Area A3 GMDSS guidelines,” said Badani. “On a daily basis, however, it will perform harbour towage duties, and it will primarily serve the port of Deendayal.”

Multi-role platform for port operations

The propulsion arrangement consists of two Niigata 6L28HX low-sulphur diesel engines that each produce 1,838 kW (2,465 hp), two Niigata controllable-pitch propellers, two Cummins auxiliary engines, and two harbour generators. The tug also has a shore power connection to reduce reliance on its generators when consuming electricity at berth, thus lowering emissions.

The electronics suite includes equipment from JRC and Jotron while MacGregor supplied the winches and Jason provided the firefighting and oil spill response systems. The aft winch is suitable for deep-sea towage while a three-tonne deck crane can be employed during salvage operations.

The acquisition of Konna Star is in line with Polestar Maritime’s aim of expanding its fleet with tugs boasting the latest innovations, particularly those that guaranteed high bollard pull, to enable ports to better support large ships. This was to also help ensure a lower average age for the owner’s entire fleet.

“We are happy that a good quality tug was delivered to us within an agreed upon timeframe,” Badani told Baird Maritime. “We will also be welcoming another tug from the same series later this year, and we plan to order similar vessels to augment our fleet in the near future.”