Great Lakes Shipyard, a division of The Great Lakes Towing Company, Cleveland, has signed a contract to build one of its HandySize-class twin-screw tugboats for a commercial tugboat service in Guatemala.
The HandySize-class tug was designed by Jensen Naval Architects & Marine Engineers, Seattle. The new tug — 74'×30'×11.5’,3,400-hp and specifically designed for coastal work and harbor towing — will be built by Great Lakes Shipyard with delivery expected in 2016.
It is to be built to American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) standards and its Cummins QSK-50 main diesel propulsion engines, each rated at 1,700 bhp at 1,600 rpm, meet US EPA Tier 3 emission regulations.
The new tug will enter service in Puerto Quetzal, a growing principal commercial cargo, container, and cruise port located on the Pacific coast of Guatemala. The buyer, Regimen de Pensiones y Jubilaciones del Personal de la Empresa Portuaria, is a pension benefits plan for port employees and retirees who operate a commercial tugboat service under a Port Authority franchise for the purpose of ensuring future retirement benefits.
