A new 30-metre ASD harbour tug built by Uzmar Shipyard in Turkey is currently sailing on its delivery journey to its new owners at the Port of Aarhus in Denmark.
The Robert Allan Ltd-designed Hermes is unique for its "mechanical hybrid" propulsion configuration. This arrangement allows one of the tug's two Cummins QSK60 2,013kW main engines to be shut down while the other engine provides power for the two Schottel azimuthing rudder propellers.
The tug will use only one engine to provide propulsive power during operations requiring low load levels, such as when not handling larger ships in port. In another configuration, while one engine powers the thrusters, the other will be used to power the onboard firefighting pump.
The mechanical hybrid arrangement will lead to further reductions in emissions as well fuel costs and maintenance costs.
