Harley Welcomes 1st Tier 4 Tractor Tug

By Mark Edward Nero

Harley Marine Services said Feb. 28 that it has accepted delivery of its newest tractor tug, Earl W Redd, which will enter service along the US West Coast.

The first-of-its-kind, the Earl W Redd is equipped with Caterpillar’s Tier 4 emissions technology and enters Harley’s fleet as one of the more efficient and environmentally conscious vessels in service by not only meeting but exceed the toughest marine EPA standards.

Built at Diversified Marine of Portland, Oregon, the Earl W Redd measures 120 feet by 35 feet, with a loaded draft of 19 feet three inches. The tug features twin Cat 3516 Tier 4 Final main engines, each producing 2,675 horsepower at 1,600 rpm.

Each of the engines is paired with a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) after treatment system. SCR uses a urea-based solution to reduce NOx contained in diesel exhaust down to nitrogen and water vapor. Harley says the main engines will be paired with Rolls Royce US 255-P30-FP azimuth thrusters delivering an expected bollard pull capability of 75 tons.

The tug has a fuel capacity of 127,000 gallons and can carry 6,534 gallons of water, 1,137 gallons of lube oil, 1,263 gallons of hydraulic oil and 8,200 gallons of diesel exhaust urea. It also features tow and bow winches by Markey and fendering by Schuyler. The bow winch is designed for ship handling and escort services. Auxiliary power comes from John Deere 125kW generators.

The vessel is named after the father of Diversified Marine’s owner, Kurt Redd. Earl worked for Hyster and US Steel, before landing with Harder Mechanical Contractors, where he retired at 70. After retirement, Earl became part of the Diversified team, where he was a strong presence for the remaining 25 years of his life. Earl Redd died in September 2015 at the age of 96.

Newest Harley Marine Tug Begins Service

By Mark Edward Nero

The M/V Earl W Redd, the newest addition to the Harley Marine fleet of tugboats, is currently completing sea trials and preparing to enter service under the flag of Harley’s Olympic Tug & Barge unit.

The 120-foot tractor tug, which has a hull depth of about 19 feet and a breadth of 35 feet, was built by Diversified Marine Inc. in Portland, Oregon. It’s named after the father of Diversified President Kurt Redd. The vessel is slated to enter service as a provider of unrestricted coastal towing along the US West Coast. The tug is powered by Tier 4-compliant CAT engines coupled to Rolls-Royce azimuthing drives providing a bollard pull capability of 75 tons.

The tug’s deck equipment was supplied by Markey Machinery, including a two-winch suite of equipment consisting of a Markey TESD-34B-100HP double drum electric towing winch and a DEPC-48-50HP electric bow hawser winch with Render/Recover.

The TESD-34B-100HP towing winch is arranged to hold 2500 feet of 2-1/4” diameter wire rope on the starboard drum, and 1500 feet on the port drum. Barrel layer performance is rated at 193,000 pounds at stall; 129,000 pounds at 22 FPM; and 55,000 pounds at 43 FPM. The brake has a maximum holding capacity of 645,000 pounds.

The winch, powered by a 100-HP TENV inverter-duty electric motor controlled by a variable frequency drive, can provide full torque at continuous stall, and includes a hydraulically powered emergency “come home” drive motor in the event of electrical failure.

The DEPC-48-50HP bow hawser winch utilizes Markey’s render/recover technology to allow tug positioning while automatically maintaining an adjustable inhaul/payout constant tension on the line. It also includes a “freewheel” feature allowing for fast line payout or emergency escape.

Harley Marine Receives 2nd Enhanced Tug

By Mark Edward Nero

A second “enhanced” RAmparts 2400 Z-drive tractor tug is now in service with Harley Marine Services in Seattle. The Lela Franco, named in honor of the wife of HMS founder Harley Franco, is a sister ship to the Michelle Sloan delivered earlier this year.

Both tugs were designed by Robert Allan Ltd. and built at shipbuilder Diversified Marine Inc.’s Portland, Oregon shipyard.

The Lela Franco is the sixth tractor tug HMS has added to its fleet in under two years. Like its twin sister the Michelle Sloan, it’s an enhancement of HMS tugs the Tim Quigg and John Quigg, built in 2004 also by Diversified Marine. The enhanced designs developed by Robert Allan Ltd. feature a wider hull, increased bollard pull performance, improved crew accommodations and a modified skeg.

Particulars of the Lela Franco include an overall length of 80 feet; molded beam of 36 feet; molded hull depth of six feet and eight inches; a maximum draft of 17 feet, five inches; and a weight of greater than 200 gross tons.

On trials, the vessel achieved an average bollard pull ahead of 69.0 short tons and a maximum of 71.3 short tons. Astern, the average bollard pull was 65.4 short tons and maximum was 67.4 short tons. The free running speed ahead was 12.5 knots.

The vessel has been outfitted for a normal operating crew of two, with accommodations for up to six persons. The Master’s cabin is located on the main deck, with two additional double crew cabins located on the lower accommodation deck. There is also a galley and mess room located on the main deck.

The deck machinery comprises a Markey DEPC-48 render-recover type ship assist hawser winch on the bow, spooled with 500 feet of nine-inch line, and a Markey DEPC-32 towing winch aft with a capacity of 250 feet of 6-1/2 inch line.

Harley Marine Adding 2 Tugs to Fleet

By Mark Edward Nero

Seattle-based Harley Marine Services said March 20 that it has received delivery of one new ship-handling vessel and is expected to add another to its fleet in the coming months.

The Michelle Sloan was delivered to Harley Marine on March 20, and her sister vessel, the Lela Franco, is currently being built at Diversified Marine of Portland, Oregon, for delivery in about three months, according to Harley Marine.

Each tug is expected to operate in the Los Angeles and Long Beach harbors.

Both vessels are designed with a length of 80 feet, a beam of 36 feet and a depth of 16 feet, eight inches. They will be powered with about 5,200 horsepower and have the ability to achieve sixty-five tons of bollard pull.

Each vessel will also equipped with two CAT 3516, Tier III engines and two 125kw John Deere 6068, Tier III generators. The engines, according to Harley, reduce NOx and particulate matter by 74 percent from a Tier II engine.

The Michelle Sloan, according to Harley Marine, is equipped with a Markey bow winch, a barge handling stern winch, and Shibata fendering. Soundproofing material was added to the bulkheads and decks to improve life onboard the vessel for the crew.

Additionally, a closed circuit TV (CCTV) has been installed to the engine room for semi-automation, and can be accessed from the wheelhouse or ashore for management to monitor.

“The vessels are being built with the most technically and environmentally advanced equipment available and will exceed all regulatory, internal, and customers’ needs and expectations,” Harley Marine said in a statement.