Tug Boat 101 Coastal and Blue Water Towing Vessel National Center of Expertise 11/11/2018

Performance Objectives Identify towing vessel types and their associated services coastal and blue water services including Hawser, Wire, and ATB/ ITB’s. Review new HQ guidance on (ATB) barge manning

HAWSER BOAT Tugboats that use lines to make tow are known as hawser boats.  They are still used today on bays and rivers for towing barges of general cargo.  A simple, but labor intensive towing technique. No towing winch and the related machinery is necessary. Towing Vessel National Center of Expertise 11/11/2018

The hawser is usually a full coil (600 feet) of nylon line, sometimes more.  Traditional looking three strand line can be used but most use plaited line. The image below shows the line faked out on a stern rack. Towing Vessel National Center of Expertise 11/11/2018

Putting a barge on tow or “Stringing” out the tow Towing Vessel National Center of Expertise 11/11/2018

Hawser Tug made up in the notch of tow Towing Vessel National Center of Expertise 11/11/2018

HIP TOW &TOWING ALONGSIDE A hip tow can be made up on either the port or starboard side of the tug. Hawser Boats will also move other vessel on the hip Towing Vessel National Center of Expertise 11/11/2018

Towing Vessel National Center of Expertise 11/11/2018

TOWING VESSELS OPERATING IN THE HARBOR Towing Vessel National Center of Expertise 11/11/2018

Ship Docking A tug positioned at the bow of the ship it is moving.  This is the most common job of the ship docking tug in harbors. Towing Vessel National Center of Expertise 11/11/2018

Ship Docking Small tug with a line up on the stern of a ship.  Sometimes harbor tugs are employed this way to help a ship steer while transiting winding rivers.  Towing Vessel National Center of Expertise 11/11/2018

Tractor type tug assisting in ship maneuvering Towing Vessel National Center of Expertise 11/11/2018

Propulsion methods unique to ship handling Schottel / Z-Drive Voith Schneider Towing Vessel National Center of Expertise 11/11/2018

Z DRIVE Schottel Video Towing Vessel National Center of Expertise 11/11/2018

Towing Vessel National Center of Expertise 11/11/2018

Towing Vessel National Center of Expertise 11/11/2018

VOITH SCHNEIDER PROPELLER Also known as a cycloidal drive. It is highly maneuverable, being able to change the direction of its thrust almost instantaneously. It is widely used on tugs and ferries. Voith Operation Video Towing Vessel National Center of Expertise 11/11/2018

TOWING VESSELS OPERATING OFFSHORE - WIRE BOATS Towing Vessel National Center of Expertise 11/11/2018

Wire Boat Towing Winch The towing winch has one or two drums of cable. Most winches have a capstan built on and controlled by the winch station.  Towing Vessel National Center of Expertise 11/11/2018

Wire Boat The after steering station The vessel can be operated from this location when necessary. The winch controls are also contained on the console.  Sometimes this console is in a protected booth called the dog house. Towing Vessel National Center of Expertise 11/11/2018

Wire Boat Depending on where the boat is from, this is a Texas bar or a Dutch bar.  The two wheels in the middle there are called doughnuts and they can slide separately the entire length of the bar.  Towing Vessel National Center of Expertise 11/11/2018

Wire Boat These rollers on the stern of this tug are able to be retracted. With one roller up, the cable is steered into the center of the stern as described before and then the second roller is raised up to hold the cable to the middle of the stern rail. Towing Vessel National Center of Expertise 11/11/2018

Wire Boat Here is a shot of the cable in place between the rollers.  You'll notice a piece of pipe has been used for chafing gear.  This kind of gear is made by cutting a section, length-wise out of a two or three foot long pipe.  The slot allows the cable to slip into the pipe. Towing Vessel National Center of Expertise 11/11/2018

Wire Boat Here is another shot of a towing cable over the stern with no roller system.  The chafing gear can be seen more clearly and a hogging line has been added to hold the cable more firmly in place. Towing Vessel National Center of Expertise 11/11/2018

Catenary Towing Vessel National Center of Expertise 11/11/2018

ARTICULATED/ INTEGRATED TUG AND BARGE COUPLINGS Towing Vessel National Center of Expertise 11/11/2018

Defining The Terms Articulate Integrate To put together with joints To make whole or complete by adding or bringing together parts Articulate- to put together with joints. Integrate- to make whole or complete by adding or bringing together parts. Towing Vessel National Center of Expertise 11/11/2018

ARTICULATED UNITS ATBs are referred to as “Dual-Mode ITB” in NVIC 2-81: The tug is mechanically connected to the barge but is free to pitch independent of the barge in a seaway. These units typically work with the tug in the notch but can decouple at any time the Captain or Chief Engineer see fit due to operational requirements and the tug then tows the barges on an emergency hawser. Some suppliers of connection systems used in the ATB industry are: Intercon JAK Bludworth

ATB The JAK Coupling connection system is widely used on ATBs. The system uses connection pins on each side of the tug, operated pneumatically, secure the tug to the barge and can be released in less than a minute.

ATB The Intercon connection system may be the most used connection system on ATBs. The system uses connection pins on each side of the tug are operated by high pressure hydraulics that secure the tug to the barge and can be released in less than a minute.

ATB

Looking for watertight integrity Towing Vessel National Center of Expertise 11/11/2018

INTEGRATED UNITS ITB’s are referred to as “Pushing Mode ITB” in NVIC 2-81 These are the units that maintain connection at all times during operation except, emergencies. The tug is rigidly connected to the barge and act as one unit. There are few, if any, still in operation and are generally treated as ships.

Towing Vessel National Center of Expertise 11/11/2018

Towing Vessel National Center of Expertise 11/11/2018

Towing Vessel National Center of Expertise 11/11/2018

Towing Vessel National Center of Expertise 11/11/2018

Towing Vessel National Center of Expertise 11/11/2018

Towing Vessel National Center of Expertise 11/11/2018

Towing Vessel National Center of Expertise 11/11/2018

Towing Vessel National Center of Expertise 11/11/2018

ATB Barge Manning HQ Direction ATB barges are typically certified as “unmanned”, but are increasingly operated with crew aboard to conduct cargo conditioning, ballast ops, and maintenance. While current policies are under review no ATB barges currently certificated as “unmanned” should have their status changed to “manned” or any action taken to alter the existing COI or restrict future vessel operations without first consulting CG-CVC.

Performance Objectives Identify towing vessel types and their associated services coastal and blue water services including Hawser, Wire, and ATB/ ITB’s. Review new HQ guidance on (ATB) barge manning

Questions? Towing Vessel National Center of Expertise 11/11/2018