An Egyptian shipyard is building four new RAstar series tugs with two azimuth thrusters and 12V diesel main engines
South Red Sea Shipyard in Egypt has ordered propulsion systems for four escort-class tugboats it is building for various vessel owners.
It is building azimuth stern drive (ASD) tugs to Robert Allan Ltd’s RAstar 3200-W design, with 90 tonnes of bollard pull for deliveries in 2027.
Each 32-m tug will have two azimuth thrusters, each with a fixed-pitch propeller in a nozzle, and an MPC800 control system from Berg Propulsion and a pair of ABC medium-speed 12DZC engines from Anglo Belgian Corp (ABC).
Berg Propulsion said it had secured the contract to provide the thrusters, controls and high-speed shaft lines from Egypt-based Inde Marine for these tugboat newbuildings.
The configuration is intended to provide strong bollard pull performance, efficient operations, and enhanced manoeuvrability for harbour and escort duties, said Berg Propulsion.
The 1,800-kg, four-stroke ABC 12DZC engine has 12 cylinders in V formation, a power range of 1,900 kW to 2,652 kW at 1,000 rpm, a turbocharger and a deep-sump oil capacity of 900 litres.
In addition, Berg Propulsion has gained a contract to supply propulsion systems for an 8,000 dwt diesel-electric chemical tanker that Akdeniz Shipyard is building for Transka Tankers in Turkey.
For this ship, Berg will supply a single-out gearbox, dual permanent magnet motors, a control system and a bow thruster with an electric motor.
