Three more vessels head for Jordan

Sanmar Shipyards has delivered three more vessels to the Aqaba Port Marine Services Company (APMSCO) for the Sheikh Subah Al Ahmad Al Subah LNG terminal at Aqaba, Jordan.

The overall contract comprises four 80-tonne bollard pull specially modified Terminal RAstar 2800 ASD tugs, two conventional twin screw Rascal 1500 line-handling tugs, all designed by Robert Allan Ltd of Canada, and a pilot boat designed by Camarc Ltd in the UK. This latest delivery comprises the second RAstar, named Petra 3, a RAscal 1500 line-handling tug, Aldaem,and a 16.7m Pilot boat called Al Sanad. The first RAstar of the contract, Hashim 3 has been operating at the Port since late May.

Petra 3 and her sisters are all suitable for use in a Zone 2 LNG environment and are equipped with a gas detection system and a ventilation gastight damper control system to isolate the ship from gas leakage throughout the vessel.

Al Sanad is a 16.7m, 20 knot twin-screw pilot boat designed by Camarc Limited, a specialist in the genre. Powered by two 500kW Caterpillar C18 diesels, the vessel has suspension seating for the helmsman and five others plus settee seating for three, on main deck. There are berths for four, galley, mess area and sanitary space on the lower deck.

The first example of the Rascal 1500TS class also forms part of this latest consignment. Aldaem, as the new vessel has been named is a high performance, twin screw, diesel-powered line-handling tug, designed for maximum efficiency in the performance of line-handling, ship-handling and related terminal support activities. Measuring just 14.95m in length overall with a moulded beam of 8.3m and a draft of 2.65m, the vessel is equipped with heavy bow fendering for ship-assist work and a towing bitt fitted with a Data tow-hook for line-handling and general towing duties.

The hull, deckhouse and wheelhouse are of all-welded steel construction with scantlings in excess of the minimum of any Classification Society. The vessel is equipped with heavy duty deck equipment and all-round fendering for ship-handling operations.

Power is provided by two Caterpillar C18 main engines each of 447 kW. These turn 1170mm diameter five-bladed propellers via ZF gearboxes and stainless steel straight line shafts. The vessel has a top speed of 10 knots and a bollard pull of 14 tonnes.