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Trinity Delivers Second Cycloidal Tractor Tug; Launches Casino Boat Built by Trinity's Halter Marine, this new Foss tug features Voith-Schneider cycloidal propulsion. Trinity Industries Inc.'s subsid- iary Halter Marine has been busy, delivering the Garth Foss—the sec- ond of two 155-foot (47.3-m), 8,000- hp enhanced tractor tugs equipped with cycloidal propulsion units— and launching theFlamingo Hilton, a 245-foot (74.7-m), 1,500-passen- ger riverboat casino. Voith-Schneider Powers Tug The Garth Foss was delivered to Foss Maritime of Seattle, an^ preceded in November by an identi- cal sistership, the Lindsey Foss. The tugs, reportedly the world's largest and most powerful, are fit- ted with Voith-Schneider cycloidal propulsion units. The Garth Foss will work for BP Oil Shipping Co. escorting tankers in the Straits of Juan de Fuca and Puget Sound. The Lindsey Foss is already work- ing for Arco Marine, performing Garth Foss Equipment List Main engines EMD PropulsionVoith Schneider cycloidal propellers Winch/Anchor windlass.... Markey Towline hold down ... Nordic Machine Radars Decca Depth sounders Ross VHF radios SEA UHF radio Motorola SSB SEA GPS Trimble Weather fax Furuno Autopilot Sperry Gyro compass Sperry Compass Plath similar tasks. The Voith-Schneider cycloidal propulsion system consists of two sets of five vertically oriented blades installed ahead of the tug's center. The system gives the tug 360° ma- neuverability and great ability to steer and stop tankers in the event of an emergency. Foss Design Team primarily per- formed the design work for the two tugs. Glosten Associates, Inc., a Seattle- based naval architectural firm, pro- vided a contract design and prepared plans and specifications. Detailed design work was conducted by Trin- ity under Foss supervision, with additional assistance from Glosten. Foss selected tractor tugs equipped with cycloidal propulsion because of the need to provide high speed (12 knots plus), safe escort, and retardation and steering forces for loaded tankers during rough, open-water conditions. "Cycloidal propulsion is relatively new to U.S. shipyards, but not to Trinity shipyards," said John Dane III, president of the Trinity Marine Group. Technical details of the vessels were recently presented by Steve T. Scalzo, senior vice president of Foss Maritime, at the Royal Institution of Naval Architects in London. He said the nearly double-ended hulls have a pronounced shear to keep the decks dry, and a substantial shear strake to provide a foundation and bearing surface for fendering and bulwarks. The bulwarks were moved inward and canted inward to reduce con- tact with the vessel being assisted. The superstructure was also kept well inboard to minimize the possi- bility of contact with the vessel be- ing assisted, as well as all deck ma- chinery, particularly in an obstruc- tion-free zone at the stern. The Voith-Schneider unit is driven by a pair of General Motors EMD ME 16-710-G7A diesels rated at 4,000-hp each turning through propulsion unit reduction gears. A turbo coupling between the engine and reduction gear replaces a clutch. The 475-grt vessel has a running Halter Marine Inc. also launched the 245-foot (74.7-m) Flamingo Hilton, a 1,500-passenger riverboat casino for the Hilton Hotels Corp., Gaming Division, located in Kansas City, Mo. Delivery of the Cummins- powered vessel is scheduled for May 26. The Flamingo Hilton is similar to, but not identical to the Queen of New Orleans, a riverboat casino de- livered to the Hilton New Orleans Corp. and New Orleans Paddlewheels in February. TheF/a- mingo Hilton has increased horse- power (its Cummins KTA-38M die- sel engines develop a total of 1,880 hp) and larger shafts and propel- lers. She also has more hydraulic power and larger rudders moved closer to the stern for increased ma- neuverability. Electrical power for the ship's hundreds of gaming devices, as well as the air condition- speed of 14.5 knots, and carries 83,700 gallons of diesel fuel, 2,400 gallons of lube oil and 4,000 gallons of fresh water. A 345-sq.-ft. skeg at the stern helps the tug to steer and stop a moving tanker. A tractor tug fastened to a ship is operated stern first, and can shear off at an angle using the skeg in combination to produce steering and stopping forces greatly in excess of the tug's static bollard pull. The tugs feature second genera- tion winches with high braking ca- pacity and fast line recovery. ing and heating, is provided by three Onan generators driven by Cummins diesel engines developing 2,145 kW. The paddlewheel is driven by two 200-hp electric motors, for a total of 400 hp, and maneuverabil- ity is aided by a 400-hp Schottel bowthruster. For additional information on the vessel building capabilities of Trin- ity Marine Group, Circle 2 on Reader Service Card FLAMINGO HILTON Equipment List Main engines Cummins Bow thruster Schottel Generator engines Cummins Generator Stamford Emergency generator Cummins Deck machinery McElroy Propellers Bird-Johnson Reduction gears Reintjes Coatings Ameron Couplings Lo-Rez VHF radios Motorola Radar Furuno Air conditioning Carrier Engine controls Mathers Steering Controls Custom Hydraulic Motor starters Ingersoll-Rand Shafting Scott Forge/Trinity Lockport Pumps Aurora Firefighting Hiller Pictured is a diagram of a tractor tug with Voith-Schneider cycloidal propulsion. The Voith-Schneider tractor tug configuration entails specific features, including: • a propulsion and steering system freely arranged underneath the vessel's hull at one end of the vessel, • a keel plate underneath the freely arranged propulsion and steering device protecting the units against groundings and contacts with other vessels or obstacles in all directions, • towing gear above the fin, specifically adapted to individual local operation conditions, • clear pushing direction with fin first and clear pulling direction with propeller forward, and, • all around visibility from the steering house. For more information on Voith-Schneider, Circle 6 on Reader Service Card The 1,500-passenger Flamingo Hilton riverboat casino vessel was recently launched at TMG's Halter Marine 10 Launching Of The Flamingo Hilton Maritime Reporter/Engineering News
