Pull of the Water

摘要

Almost any person unfamiliar with the workboat industry can identify a tugboat when he or she sees it. While there have been many technological changes over the decades, the basic shape of the tug has not changed drastically and probably won't in the coming years. However, other changes are occurring. "In some ways the technological advances could be viewed as shortening the economic life expectancy, but in reality we are having many conversations with owners about the operating costs of the new tugs 10-15 years after construction which didn't previously occur," said Ernst Schneider with Robert Allan Ltd. (RAL), Vancouver, British Columbia. "Considering these longer timeframes and higher maintenance costs, is enabling some owners to justify the increased investment in items like hybrid propulsion and battery power that can then reduce the operating costs over the long term." Cole Van Gundy, director, commercial operations, Crowley Engineering Services, agreed. "Many owners and operators seek designs that meet increasing customer demands for efficiencies and crew comfort. Many of these requirements drive up design and build costs, but they also have potential to substantially lower the operational and environmental costs. It is important that owners and operators look at the entire lifecycle and environmental costs of their vessels when considering new designs."