I am now back from my trip to Germany and today finds me working in Salford next to the Manchester Ship Canal. I took a few photographs from my phone whilst I was away and intend do a write up of my trip when I can.

Todays note is about the tug Smit Barracuda wich I saw in Liverpool on 25 July 2013.

In 2004 Smit International undertook an extensive tug new building program ordering 18 new tugs for various Smit divisions. An order was placed with the IHC Holland Delta Shipyard for three of these vessel of which Smit Barracuda is one. She was built to the yards Delta 2500 design, her sister ships were christened Bison and Bronco.

She has a shallow draft hull and is powered by a pair of Caterpillar 3508BTA main engines with a power output of 2000bhp (1492kW) driving a nozzled Wärtsilä Lips-FP-2000mm diameter propeller. Hydraulically driven Veth Jet bowthruster with an output of 150kW are also provided. The vessel can achieve a speed of 10kts and a bollard pull of 27.5t. 

The  work deck at the stern has a free area of 60m2, is covered with timber and has a cargo rail. The double drum anchor handling and towing winch is located here, the winch has a towing force of 50t and a holding power of 70t. The towing drum carries 700m of towing wire whilst the drum for anchor handling carries 200m of towing wire. 

On starboard side of the towing winch is the DD-Marine crane which has a SWL of 21t at 5.1m reach and 9.25t at 12.19m reach. On starboard side behind the cargo rail the emergency exits for the engine room and the rudder gear room are located.

Below the main deck is located the accommodation for a maximum of six persons. The laundry and the showers are located on the starboard side and on port side is a store,  on the same level further aft is the main engine room. The main superstructure houses a large mess room and the galley with access to these rooms being via the locker room. 

Despite having two main engines the Delta tugs have only one exhaust funnel at the starboard end of the deck house.

On each side of the bridge deck are a life raft and life bouy, on the portside a ladder goes aft to the work deck.

The wheelhouse has two parallel consoles to operate the vessel and its associated equipment, at the rear of the wheelhouse is a small galley.  

On the top deck is located the radar equipment which is manufactured by Alphatron. At the front of the top deck the ships horn and a searchlight are fitted, a second searchlight is also located here but is directed aft. 

MMSI - 246070000 
REG -  NL, Rotterdam
IMO - 9345506
Call Sign - PHFW
Tug
Built - IHC Delta, Sliedrecht, NL
Yard No. - 11017
L 25m W 10m
GT 230
Year - 2006
Liverpool, 25 July 2013

Tomorrow I am going to Germany for a factory visit. 

I need to be at Manchester Airport at 0430 to catch the 0630 flight to Frankfurt which means I need to set the alarm for 0300, staying overnight I am hoping to be back in Manchester after lunch on Tuesday.

As with my trip to Paris I intend to write a note about my trip when I get back.

It has been a very quiet start to October as far as seeing any new ships is concerned. Despite working on the banks of the Mersey for the majority of the week I have only seen four new vessels and three of these were on Tuesday.

Driving into work on Tuesday I saw the General Cargo Ship Cielo Di Vancouver (IMO 9225249, GT 27828, 2002) together with Chemical / Oil Product Tanker Argent Iris (IMO 9459280, GT 20334, 2011) and Philippines registered Chemical Tanker As Omaria (IMO 9363819, GT 11570, 2007).

Driving home yesterday I saw the Offshore Support Vessel Seabed Worker (IMO 9533244, GT 3923, 2009) in the main Seaforth terminal.

Today it is overcast with a concrete grey sky that stretches from horizon to horizon, there is a light mist across the river and I heard driving in to work that heavy rain is expected later this afternoon.

So far I have seen a number of vessels but nothing new, checking AIS for Liverpool Bay and beyond I cannot see any new ships enroute that have a chance of making it to Liverpool today.

Panama registered Crane Ship Lara 1 seen in Liverpool Docks on 3 September 2013. I originally saw her in 2007 when she was known as Mersey Mammoth. She is based in Liverpool and often seen in and around the dock system including out in the river.

She is equipped with a electric offshore crane with a lifting capacity of  250 Ton @ 14.7 to 25.3 meters ranging to 120 Ton @ 40 meters.

She has two electrical driven Voith Schneider propulsion units, one underneath the bow and one underneath the stern. The crane, propulsion units and ships systems are powered by two 806 KW Ruston/Brush generator sets.

In 2011 she had extensive maintenance and repair work carried out at the Scheldepoort shipyard.

She is owned by Hapo International Barges BV based in Ridderkerk, The Netherlands which was founded in 1987. Their fleet  includes heavy cranes, crane barges, transport barges and a Jack-up barge, they operate worldwide.

MMSI - 353602000
IMO - 8521672 
Call Sign - 3FAG2
Crane 
Built - Ravestein, Deest,NL 
Yard No. 230 
L= 60m, W = 23m
GT1793 
Built 1986

HMS Trumpeter (P294) is an Archer Class P2000 Class patrol and training vessel commissioned in 1988. The photographs were taken on 24 May 2013 as she and other naval vessels were preparing for the Battle Of Atlantic celebrations being held the following day.

She is a twin-shafted vessel with a moulded GRP hull and is designed for patrol and training purposes.

HMS Trumpeter was for a time allocated to the Gibraltar Squadron undertaking  guard and search & rescue duties before being replaced by a Scimitar Class vessel. She was also used more recently during the Thames River Pageant, escorting the Royal Barge during the Queens Diamond Jubilee.

Her displacement is 49 t and she has a length of 20.8m, 5.8m beam and 1.8m draft. Propulsion is via two Rolls Royce M800T diesels (1,590 bhp) giving a top speed of 14 knots.