Fratelli Neri takes delivery of a Damen ASD Tug 3212
Fratelli Neri S.p.A has taken delivery of a Damen ASD Tug 3212. The new vessel, called Luisa Neri, was handed over from Damen Maaskant Shipyards Stellendam in the Netherlands, on 25 January 2016. The vessel represents two firsts: it is Fratelli Neri’s first Damen newbuild tug and it is the first ASD Tug in the Mediterranean with a Damen render-recovery winch.
Damen is renowned for its quick delivery times and this contract further reinforces that fact: the smooth process from contract to delivery taking just 5 months. With the vessel built for stock, Damen Maaskant Shipyards Stellendam carried out the final outfitting works to bring the Luisa Neri up to client specifications. These modifications included, amongst other things, the installation of a deck crane and all equipment necessary to comply with FiFi 1 notation, Oil Recovery notation and Italian flag.
As one of the largest tug owners in Italy, Fratelli Neri will be putting the Luisa Neri to use in its home port of Livorno. “With some tight turns, Livorno is well known for being quite a challenging harbour to operate in,” comments Damen Regional Sales Manager Andrea Trevisan. “The Luisa Neri has the power – just over 80 tonnes of bollard pull – the manoeuvrability and the right equipment to handle these difficult escorting duties though.”
The vessel is provided with a Damen render-recovery winch on the fore deck and a Damen towing winch on the aft deck. Both winches are designed and engineered by Damen Maaskant Shipyards Stellendam and produced by Damen Marine Components. These winches allow operators to work in the toughest offshore conditions.
The render-recovery winch on the fore deck is a double drum anchor/towing winch, with 200 metres of Dyneema towing wire on each drum. The winch is directly driven by two Hägglunds hydraulic motors connected to the main shaft.
The aft towing winch is a single drum towing winch, with 750 metres of steel towing wire on the drum. The winch is directly driven by one Hägglunds hydraulic motor connected to the main shaft. Because the winches are not provided with gearboxes the design is very compact, robust and maintenance friendly.
Each winch drum can be connected to the main shaft by means of a spring released, hydraulically engaged friction clutch fitted on the inside of the stainless steel brake drum connected to the winch drum. The use of friction clutches guarantees a safe and fast quick-release operation of the winches in all operating conditions.
Each winch drum can be connected to the deck by means of a hydraulically released, spring engaged band brake fitted on the outside of the stainless steel brake drum connected to the winch drum. An accumulator with sufficient capacity to release the band brakes several times is installed in the hydraulic system to guarantee a safe and fast quick-release operation of the winches in all operating conditions. The maximum brake holding capacity is 200 tonnes.
Damen’s ASD Tug 3212 has excellent seakeeping characteristics, manoeuvrability and is optimised for operations in exposed waters by numerous features. The design consists of a large freeboard and more pronounced V-shaped frames in the lines of the fore ship. This, in combination with a more raised forecastle deck, ensures a relatively dry working deck.
Providing high dynamic stability, the vessel’s deep skeg, bilge keels and relatively low wheelhouse ensure low accelerations for increased comfort, safety and seakeeping performance. The fendering system has a large contact area to assure low static contact pressure and large energy absorption capacity: This guarantees a low dynamic contact pressure during impact.
