UK Expects to Get ‘Tugs of the Future’ by End of 2010

‘Tugs of the Future’at Portsmouth Naval Base(click to view larger) By the end of 2010, the UK expects to receive faster, more maneuverable, and more powerful tugs to guide destroyers and aircraft carriers in and out of British ports, under the GBP 1 billion Future Provision Marine Services contract awarded by the UK Ministry of Defence to Serco Denholm in 2007. Called “tugs of the future,” the new fleet of 29 marine service vessels will guide the Royal Navy’s Type 45 destroyers and eventually Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers out of Portsmouth Naval Base and other naval bases around the country. The new Azimuth drive tugs will be able to move more quickly and pull heavier weights than the current fleet of twin-unit tractor tugs (TUTTs). Queen Elizabeth-class carrier(computer model)leaving Portsmouth Harbor (click to view larger) The new tugs will be either Azimuth stern-drive (ASDs) and Azimuth forward-drive (AFDs) tugs. The greater maneuverability and power comes from propellers at the front or the stern as opposed to the TUTT cycloidal drive in the middle. According to Pat McFayden, Marine Services Superintendent at Portsmouth Naval Base: “In Portsmouth we are changing the whole fleet. There will be six new tugs in total, […]