The 78.7'x41' Island Raider, which is the newest articulating tug in Island Tug and Barge’s (ITB) fleet, was christened Friday, Sept. 28, during an afternoon ceremony at ITB’s headquarters in Burnaby, British Columbia.
After Reverend Mark Schwab from St. Stephen’s Church delivered a blessing, Beth Vandemoor, ITB’s payroll/invoice manager and longtime employee, broke a champagne bottle over the vessel’s hull while a group of ITB and Tidewater Canada Inc. employees, vendor representatives, and business partners cheered from the shore. ITB is a subsidiary of Tidewater Canada.
Constructed on-site at ITB’s Annacis Island facility along the Fraser River in British Columbia, the Island Raider was designed with considerable emphasis on crew comfort and endurance. By incorporating Sika vibration and sound dampening floors, and Norac wall and ceiling paneling, noise levels register at less than 59 decibels in the wheelhouse during vessel operation — which is equivalent to an air conditioner. In addition, fully heated and air-conditioned accommodations can house up to eight persons in six cabins. The standard crew is four — master, mate and two deck hands. For optimal situational awareness, the wheelhouse incorporates floor to ceiling windows, as well as a full walk-around catwalk. Facilities include a stainless-steel finished galley and large mess deck, exercise room, laundry room, and office.
“Today, not only do we celebrate the christening of the Island Raider, we also celebrate the amazing men and women from ITB and our valuable vendors who designed, project-managed, and supplied the state-of-the-art components for this technologically-advanced tug, president of Tidewater Canada, Bob Curcio, said in a statement announcing the delivery. “This tug will ensure continued services to our Island Tug and Barge clients for many years in the future.”
The Island Raider, along with its sistership, Island Regent, set for delivery in February 2019, were designed by Robert Allan Limited naval architects and marine engineers of Vancouver, British Columbia to be paired with ITB’s double-hulled oil tank barge, ITB Resolution, as an articulated tug and barge (ATB) unit.
Main propulsion for Island Raider is provided by twin Cummins KTA38M 634 kW engines, producing 850 hp each at 1,800 rpm. Through carbon fiber shafts, the main engines connect to two 1600 mm, 4-bladed in-nozzle Rolls Royce US105 FP azimuthing thrusters (Z-drives). The Z-drive thrusters can rotate 360°, providing maximum thrust in any direction and enhanced maneuverability. Once the tug is fitted into the notch of the barge, a connection is made through an Articouple FRC 35S pin (coupler) system. These hydraulic pins engage in a vertical slot on the barge to create a semi-rigid bond that allows the tug to pitch but not roll. The joined ATB has a fully loaded speed of 10 knots.
“The Island Raider and Island Regent symbolize ITB’s continuing commitment to safety, environmental stewardship, and customer service. These ATBs were purpose-built-designed to serve our clients and the communities of Vancouver Island and along the B.C. Coast, as well as our customers in the Vancouver Harbour and the Puget Sound,”Adrian Samuel, ITB president, said.
Ship’s Service Power is the responsibility of two John Deere 4045 AFM85-powered generators, producing 99 kW of electrical power each.
The tug’s navigation equipment includes a JRC automatic identification system (AIS), radar, electronic chart display, and weather station; Alphatron Marine bridge navigation watch alarm system, magnetic compass, and repeater swing meter; and Sailor VHF radio. A fixed Kidde FM200 fire extinguishing system is installed in the machinery spaces.
Justin Nichols, Nichols Marine Services president and project manager said, “It has been an honor to work for Tidewater and with the talented operations and maintenance teams at ITB. The Island Raider and Island Regent are built with quality craftsmanship that will last for decades to come.”
Headquartered in Burnaby, British Columbia, Island Tug and Barge (ITB) is a subsidiary of Tidewater Canada Inc. and has provided solutions for the marine industry for over 50 years. ITB has demonstrated seasoned proficiency in the safe marine transportation of petroleum products on the West Coast of Canada, the U.S., and the Arctic. As the primary supplier of refined cargo transport in Western Canada, ITB has enjoyed a long history of serving the West Coast’s coastal communities and is currently the largest provider of bulk fuel products to Vancouver Island.
