Friday, May 6, 2016

Harley Marine Building 2 Tractor Tugs

By Mark Edward Nero

Seattle-based Harley Marine Services said May 4 that construction of two new “enhanced” RAmparts 2400 Z-drive tractor tugs is starting at the Diversified Marine shipyard in Portland, Oregon.

They will be sister class vessels to the Michelle Sloan and Lela Franco, and are expected to enhance the company’s West Coast fleet presence.

Each tractor tug is designed to have a length of 80 feet, a beam of 36 feet and a depth of 16 feet, eight inches, and be capable of producing 70 short tons of bollard pull, with twin CAT 3516, Tier 3 propulsion engines developing a total of about 5,200 horsepower and two Caterpillar C7.1, Tier 3 generators.

The Tier 3 engines, according to Harley Marine, reduce NOx and particulate matter 74 percent better than Tier 2 models. The vessels are each to be equipped with a Markey bow winch, a barge handling stern winch and Shibata fendering. Also, sound proofing material is being been added to the bulkheads and decks to improve the quality of life onboard the vessels.

Additionally, a closed-circuit TV system is being installed in the engine rooms and could be accessed from the wheelhouse or ashore for management to monitor.

The tugs will be named Rich Padden and Dr. Hank Kaplan after long serving Harley Marine Services board member and community leader Richard Padden, and cancer researcher Dr. Hank Kaplan of Swedish Cancer Institute.

Padden has been a member of the Harley board for 30 years, while Harley Marine's annual golf tournament raises funds for Kaplan’s Kaplan Cancer Research Fund.

“These two gentleman are true champions of great causes and friends of Harley Marine Services,” Harley Marine Services Chairman and CEO Harley Franco said. “We are honored to name these vessels after them.”