A Swedish port in the Gulf of Bothniahas invested in an ice-breaking tugboat with CRP azimuth thrusters to maintain maritime traffic year-round
The Swedish port of Lulea in the Gulf of Bothnia has taken delivery of an azimuth stern drive (ASD) ice-breaking harbour tug to maintainyear-round navigation and ship towage, even in harsh winter conditions.
Victoria was built by Damen’s Song Cam Shipyard in Vietnam to its ASD Tug 3413 ICE design with two Steerprop SP 60 ECO azimuth propulsors, each with contra-rotating propellers (CRP) rated at 3,700 kW and certified to 1A Super ice class.
This 34-m tug has a beam of 13 m, a maximum speed of 14 knots and a bollard pull of 73 tonnes ahead and 69 tonnes astern. It can maintain 8 knots through 1.1-m thick floe ice or 3 knots through 1.1 m first-year ice which is important for year-round operations in Arctic harbours.
The Port of Lulea ordered the vessel to keep this gateway to the Scandinavian Arctic open during winter months as the harbour accommodates more cargo and cruise ships.
