General: Esvagt refers to the four vessels as multirole- AHTS. They are prevented from
taking up normal supply duties by the lack of under deck powder and liquid storage, instead of which they are provided with
tanks for large quantities of recovered oil. They are certified as Emergency Response Rescue Vessel (ERRV) for up to 300 rescued
persons. The four vessels are conventional deep sea tugs / AHT with two propellers in fixed nozzles. A Becker high performance
flap rudder is mounted behind each nozzle. The hull is built on transverse frames of 600 mm spacing and reinforced according to
Lloyd’s ice class 1D. This corresponds with ice class E of Germanischer Lloyd and is sufficient for drift ice in river mouths
and near coast lines. The tugs are equipped with two MaK type 8M25 diesel engines as main propulsion units. They develop 2x 2,400kW
(2x 3,264bhp) at 750rpm as maximum continuous output (100 percent (%) MCR) and are coupled to MAN B&W Alpha Diesel type VB 860
controllable-pitch propellers. The propellers have a diameter of 3.15m with a hub diameter of 860mm. The tugs reach a speed of 14kts
at 85% MCR. They are equipped with one bow and one stern traverse thruster type 1300K/BMS-cp with controllable-pitch propellers
manufactured by KaMeWa, now Rolls Royce. The thrusters deliver an output of 441kW. Additionally a retractable rudder propeller
type UL 1201 CP with controllable-pitch propeller in a nozzle and an output of 736kW is mounted at the bow. KaMeWa provided this
component too. ESVAGT CONNECTOR achieved a bollard pull of 91t at 100% MCR and 102t with the assistance of the retractable
rudder propeller at the bow. The pull varies from tug to tug. The bunker capacities are 543m3 fuel oil, 243m3
fresh water, 1,042m3 ballast and/or drill water, and 512m3 recovered oil. The vessels are equipped with three
Stamford HCM 734F2 generator sets of 872kW each and one emergency generator of 217kW.
Tank top deck:
From bow to stern there are the following compartments: Bow thrusters well, workshop
with sidewise adjacent tanks, room with three generator sets and wing tanks to the shell plates, and engine room with MaK main
propulsion units. Between the MaK engines are a number of plant rooms. To the side are wing tanks. Behind the engine room are
tanks with the embedded stern thruster room are following.
Tween deck:
In the bow tanks surround the bow thruster compartment. Next located above the workshop
but spread over the full breadth are lounges and sanitary facilities for survivors. The engine control room follows at starboard
with a boiler and the funnel at port as well as a hydraulic unit in-between, all above the generator compartment. Above the main
engines the deck has a large opening. Behind the opening is a full width ballast tank is located, followed by more tanks divided by
a service alleyway leading to the hydraulic room for shark jaws and pins, the rudder machinery room, and the stern thruster
room. The alleyway is accessible from below.
Main deck:
the deck is divided in the open aft deck and the superstructure area. The aft deck carries
the hydraulic KaMeWa type TAW 1500 H reversed waterfall winch with two drums. The forward drum is lower than the aft one. The
winch has a pulling power of 156t and a brake power of 250t. There is a chain lifter for rig chains at the starboard side of the
winch. The winch is fitted in a kind of garage, limited at starboard by a store, the CO2 room, and the emergency generator room,
and at port a garbage room. In front of the winch is the superstructure, behind it the crucifix which additionally carries the
deck above the winch. The separate spooling device is fitted between winch and crucifix. A KaMeWa Rauma type MW 300 H tugger
winch is mounted at port of the spooling device. The winch has a pulling power of 10t and a brake power of 30t. The work area
of approx. 280m2 is designed for a load of 5t/m2. At both sides are heavy cargo rails with wood cladding
in-between. Capstans are located on both sides behind the cargo rails near the stern. They were provided by KaMeWa Rauma and
are types CA50H with 5t pulling power. A roller of approx. 2.80m length and approx. 1.50m diameter is fitted in the stern.
One Triplex Shark Jaw and two Triplex pins with 200t safe working load (s.w.l.) are mounted ahead of the stern roller. In the
photographs the ESVAGT CONNECTOR is shown with an A-frame at the stern for work with remotely operated vehicles (ROV).
In front of the towing winch the accommodation area begins. At starboard are two crew single-berth rooms and four double-berth
guest rooms, at port a treatment room, a change room and a large survivor’s room. Directly ahead of the winch is a reception
followed by a staircase and a laundry. The cabins have their own sanitary facilities.
Deck A:
Inside the superstructure stores are located in the bow. Behind follow six single-berth
crew cabins and a change room at starboard, mess, galley, and provision stores at port. In-between from aft to ahead the air-conditioning
unit, staircase, and two double-berth guest rooms are placed. All crew and guest rooms have their own sanitary facilities.
The open deck carries a FRC with its special davit at port. A second FRC with an identical davit is mounted on a platform attached
to the deck at starboard aft as the area in front of it is occupied by a 6m long Dacon Scoop. The Dacon Scoop is a semi-rigid,
maneuverable rescue net which is operated by the deck crane. A third FRC, required by British regulations, is fitted on the cover
above the towing winch. It is launched by the hydraulic knuckle boom crane, which is mounted at starboard aft. It is a Heila type
HLRM 80-3S with an s.w.l. of 5.3t at the maximum reach of 12.04m. A KaMeWa Rauma type SU 100 H storage winch with 10t pulling
power and 20t brake power is mounted between third boat and superstructure. A rescue basket is stored beside the winch.
Forecastle deck:
The captains and chiefs single-berth cabins with separate bedrooms are located at
the forward bulkhead of the superstructure. Behind two officers’ single-berth cabins are arranged at each side. They are followed
from port to starboard by the funnel, the staircase and a single-berth crew cabin. All cabins have en-suite sanitary facilities.
At the aft end the ship’s office and a saloon were placed. A KaMeWa Rauma combined anchor and towing winch is mounted on the
forecastle. The winch has one split towing drum, two chain lifters and two warping heads. The drum has a pulling power of 30t
and a brake power of 130t. At both sides of the superstructure two inflatable life rafts are fitted.
Bridge deck:
In the forward port corner of the deck a lifeline gun is mounted. The wheelhouse is
located approx. 3.5m from the forward edge of the deck. The forward bulkhead is just approx. 5.2m wide and is completely occupied
by the main control console. Further aft the wheelhouse widens to almost the full deck width resulting in enclosed bridge wings.
At port you find the funnel casing and at starboard a table with chairs and a settee. In the middle are the stairs and a console
with chart table and communication equipment. The aft helmstand consists of three lengthwise consoles with two chairs in-between.
Here the wheelhouse is as narrow as at the forward bulkhead. The navigation and communication equipment are state of the art.
The vessel is additionally equipped with a Kongsberg dynamic positioning system.
Top deck:
Here the magnet compass and four remotely controlled Seematz searchlights are located. It
carries the mast with navigation lights and antennas as well as separately mounted antennas including two radar antennas. The mast
and the radar antenna supports can be tilted to reduce the air draught.
Crew:
The vessels have accommodation for a crew of 15 persons in single-berth cabins and 12 passengers
in double-berth cabins. As Class B ERRV the ESVAGT CONNECTOR is licensed for sole operation at offshore installations with up to
300 persons according to British regulations. The same ERRV regulations require a minimum crew of 12 persons. The accommodation
is fully air-conditioned