Barloworld Power, Caterpillar’s southern African dealer for Energy and Transportation, has been selected to supply MaK propulsion engines and Cat generators to the Transnet National Ports Authority in South Africa for its new fleet of tugs. Barloworld Power supplies power solutions to a wide range of customers in the marine, oil & gas, electric power, industrial and rental sectors. The R1,4-billion contract to build  nine new tugs was awarded to Southern African Shipyards in Durban. As the first steel was cut in August 2014, Barloworld Power received the order from Southern African Shipyards to supply and support all the power requirements for eight of the new vessels.

The tugs will be powered by twin cycloidal propulsion units. Barloworld Power will supply two MaK 8M25C propulsion engines with a combined output of about 5 332 kW for each of the eight 70 ton bollard-pull tugs. The identical vessels will be 31 m long with a beam of 12,5 m. Two Cat C4.4 marine generator sets to provide power needs on board each vessel will also be supplied by Barloworld Power. The technical scope of the ninth vessel, which is larger than the others at 37,1 m long with a beam of 13,5 m and 100 ton bollard pull, is yet to be determined.

The new tugs will replace ageing vessels and increase the existing tug fleets in the ports of Durban, Richards Bay, Port Elizabeth and Saldanha Bay. The first tug will be launched in November 2015 and the final vessel will be in service by the first quarter of 2018. Wynand van Zyl, operations manager: Marine, Oil & Gas - Offshore, explains that Barloworld Power supports the MaK engines powering some of the older Transnet tugs which are now being retired after 30 years of service, as well as Transnet dredgers. “The service we have provided for these engines has been a significant factor in the new order. We look forward to providing a full range of service solutions to ensure the highest uptime for the new fleet.”