VESSEL REVIEW | PSA Gemini – Heavy-duty ship assist tug for Singapore waters

Singapore port services provider PSA Marine recently took delivery of a new harbour tug built to a design by Canadian naval architecture firm Robert Allan Ltd.

The ABS-classed PSA Gemini is the first in a new variant of an existing RAL series of harbour tug. The design, which is intended for operation primarily in major ports and marine terminals, emphasises the safe and capable operation of handling large ships, particularly those with extreme flares.

Due to the need to work in either a push or pull mode under the flared ends of large containerships and car carriers, the tug's design has a relatively low forward sheer, and a wide, heavily fendered bow. With the low bow, the tug is designed to make transit or open water voyages stern-first in “tractor mode.” Accordingly, the tug then functions very efficiently with only one winch, which is located in a manner that ensures maximum efficiency for both ship handling and towing operations.

Comprehensive deck equipment and electronics selection

PSA Gemini has an LOA of 30 metres (98 feet) (excluding the fenders), a moulded beam of 12 metres (39 feet), a moulded depth of 5.19 metres (17 feet), a maximum draught of 5.2 metres (17 feet), a displacement of 686.83 tonnes, a gross tonnage of 397, and a crew complement of 10.

Two Niigata 6L28HX medium-speed engines each rated at 1,654 kW (2,218 hp) at 750 rpm drive Niigata ZP-31B propellers to deliver a bollard pull of 64.61 tonnes and a top speed of 12.63 knots. The other onboard machinery includes two Perkins E70TAG1M 96ekW generators, and the machinery spaces are monitored remotely from the wheelhouse with the aid of CCTV cameras.

The tug is equipped with a towing winch on the forward working deck, with a deck crane and dual anchor windlasses aft. The winch and windlasses have been provided by Ibercisa while Palfinger Marine supplied the deck crane.

The wheelhouse is set well aft and inboard, thus providing the crew with excellent visibility over the entire working deck and to the sides. The bulwarks and fendering have meanwhile been specifically tailored to PSA Marine’s operations with considerations for towline and fender wear while assisting vessels ranging from containerships to low freeboard barges.

The bow fendering consists of an upper course of strapless cylindrical fender, and a lower course of W-fender underneath. Shear line fendering consists of square fendering around the vessel with a smaller diameter cylindrical fender at the stern.

The wheelhouse electronics include a Furuno package with X-band radar, echosounder, VHF radio, navtex, satellite compass, GPS, AIS, and BNWAS. The other gear consists of two handheld VHF radios from Entel, JRC MF/HF sets, a Jotron Tron EPIRB, a McMurdo SART, a Raytheon Anschutz autopilot, and a Phontech intercom.

Adequate crew spaces for sustained harbour operations

The crew have access to MLC 2006-compliant, air-conditioned accommodation spaces. These include two one-person berths for officers and four two-person berths for the remaining crew. Also fitted are an SBH-15 sewage system and a USH-05 oily water separator supplied by Taiko Kikai.