The Royal Thai Navy recently took delivery of a new ship handling tug built by local shipyard Asimar.
The Lloyd's Register-classed HTMS Tachai was built to a design by Canadian naval architecture firm Robert Allan Ltd. The tug will be used primarily to assist the Royal Thai Navy's surface ships and submarines in manoeuvring into and out of ports quickly and safely. Secondary duties will include firefighting, oil spill removal, and towing of targets during weapons exercises.
Tachai has an LOA of 31.5 metres, a moulded beam of 12.6 metres, a maximum draught of 4.5 metres, a depth of 5.49 metres, a gross tonnage of 497, and space for up to 20 crewmembers. Two MTU 16V4000M54 engines that each produce 1,685 kW at 1,800 rpm drive Schottel SRP 400FP Z-drives housing 2,300mm fixed-pitch propellers to deliver a bollard pull of 55 tonnes and a free running speed of 13 knots.
The tug is also equipped with two firefighting foam/water monitors driven by a dedicated MTU 12V4000M53R 1,140kW diesel engine. Electrical power generation is provided by a pair of MAN D2376 LE322 generators each with a rated output of 200 ekW at 50 Hz. The generators are able to operate in parallel as required.
The deck machinery includes a hawser winch at the bow and a towing hook on the aft deck. These and the other major deck machinery were provided by Fluidmecanica.
Fenders for ship-handling at the bow consist of two rows of cylindrical fenders and a lower course of W-fender. Sheer fendering consists of "D" rubbers and a W- fender at the stern. A few D-fenders are provided along the hull side underwater to provide protection when working with submarines.
The accommodation spaces in the deckhouse consist of two single cabins for the master and the chief engineer, a mess, and a galley. The cabins for the 18 other crewmembers are located on the lower accommodation deck.
The wheelhouse is designed with a split-type control station to provide maximum all-round visibility including towards the side fendering and the aft deck.
| HTMS Tachai | |
| SPECIFICATIONS | |
| Type of vessel: | Ship assist tug |
| Classification: | Lloyd's Register ✠ 100A1, TUG, FIRE FIGHTING SHIP 1, ✠ LMC |
| Flag: | Thailand |
| Owner: | Royal Thai Navy |
| Designer: | Robert Allan Ltd, Canada |
| Builder: | Asimar, Thailand |
| Length overall: | 31.5 metres |
| Beam: | 12.6 metres |
| Draught: | 4.5 metres |
| Depth: | 5.49 metres |
| Gross tonnage: | 497 |
| Main engines: | 2 x MTU 16V4000M54, each 1,685 kW at 1,800 rpm |
| Propulsion: | 2 x Schottel SRP 400FP |
| Auxiliary engine: | MTU 12V4000M53R, 1,140 kW |
| Generators: | 2 x MAN D2376 LE322, each 200 ekW |
| Maximum speed: | 13 knots |
| Bollard pull: | 55 tonnes |
| Winches: | Fluidmecanica |
| Other deck equipment: | Fluidmecanica towing hook |
| Firefighting equipment: | 2 x foam/water monitors |
| Type of fuel: | Diesel |
| Accommodation: | Cabins; mess; galley |
| Crew: | 20 |
