Ship Towage Tugs
Minimum towage guidelines apply to all passage plan vessels (as defined in the Humber Passage Plan) and to certain larger vessels arriving at or sailing from docks and jetties on the lower river.
These guidelines have been agreed by all interested parties following consultation and a risk-assessment process.
The docks and jetties at which guidelines apply are listed below. At any location not listed, a master and pilot may still decide that tug assistance is required and should order accordingly.
The vessel’s size, type and draught may dictate the minimum tugs that are required but the following points should always be taken into consideration:
- Ships Master/Pilot requirements, based upon experience.
- Size of vessel
- Windage
- Vessels draught.
- Vessels own mechanical propulsion
- Including number of Engines, Propellers,
- Rudder configuration and type,
- Any bow thrusters and/or stern thrusters,
- Any special equipment such as Dynamic Positioning capability,
- Operational status of above and mooring equipment suitability
- Vessels handling characteristics.
- Prevailing and forecast tide, weather and sea state
- Amenability and requirements of berth (i.e. condition of use).
- Availability and ability of crew to respond adequately to requirements.
- Exceptional conditions.
Minimum number of tugs required:
| Vessel dead-weight |
Before arriving at No.3 Chequer Buoy |
Berthing | Minimum bollard Pull |
Unberthing | Minimum bollard Pull |
| Up to 75,000 | 1 (C ) | 1 (C ) | 30 t | 1 (C ) | 30 t |
| Above 75,000 | 2 (CC ) | 2 (CC ) | 60 t | 1 (C ) | 30 t |
The Port of Immingham covers several river berths as well as the enclosed dock and can be divided in the following way: -
Minimum number of tugs and class required:
| Vessel dead-weight |
At Sunk Spit Buoy |
Berthing | Minimum bollard Pull |
Unberthing | Minimum bollard Pull |
| TANKERS | |||||
| 150,000 + | 3 (AAC) | 5 (AAACC) | 200 | 4 (AABB) | 200 |
| 80,000 to 150,000 | 2 (AA) | 4 (AABC) | 150 | 3 (AAC) | 130 |
| 50,000 to 80,000 | 2 (CC) | 4(CCCD) | 100 | 3 (CCC) | 90 |
| Up to 50,000 | 2 (CC) | 3 (CCC) | 90 | 2 (CC) | 60 |
| GAS TANKERS | |||||
| 20,000m3 + | 2 | 2 |
Note – () denotes the tug class corresponding to the minimum tug number requirement. Where a Class D is provided, the minimum number of tugs required will be increased by one to include the D Class tug, except in the case of a 50,000-80,000 DWT vessel berthing.
In the case of TANKERS over 80,000 DWT two tugs shall be made fast forward including a VOITH SCHNEIDER (Z – pellor) on the starboard shoulder.
If the agreed number of tugs cannot be assigned to the Humber Passage Plan tanker, the vessel should not proceed upriver.
See Section 5 of the Humber Passage Plan, book 2, for full details and appendix (a) of this document for full details of Howard Smith Tugs.
STAND BY TUGS. At any berth where a vessel of greater than 40,000 tons deadweight is in contravention of the terminal mooring requirements by having mixed moorings (i.e. using a mixture of ropes and wires to moor the vessel) then the vessel will have two stand by tugs whilst the vessel is alongside (at the vessels cost).
EMERGENCY TUG ASSITANCE FOR VESSELS BERTHED ON I.O.T. BERTHS.
It is essential that APT through their Terminal Manager, Marine Controller or other staff have the power to summon immediate tug assistance in circumstances where a vessel is approaching or leaving a berth, or is alongside a berth, at the Immingham Oil Terminal, whenever there is in their opinion a possibility of danger to the Terminal or to other vessels or a risk of personal injury.
Whenever possible the Master of a vessel will be consulted in advance of such action, but this may not always be possible in an emergency situation.
Tidally Restricted vessels up to 160m LOA and/or 8m draft are recommended to use 2 tugs when entering the lock.
Tidally restricted vessels over 160m LOA and/or 8m draft will be required to take a pusher tug in dock. One of the wire tugs should be a class ‘A’ tug.
Inward vessels should be met by tugs below the IOT and outward at least one tug should accompany the vessel until clear of IOT.
Minimum number of tugs required:
| Vessel dead-weight |
At Sunk Spit Buoy |
Berthing | Minimum bollard Pull |
Unberthing | Minimum bollard Pull |
| BULKERS | |||||
| 150,000 | 2 (AA) | 4 (AAAA) | 200 | 4 (AAAA) | 200 |
| 80,000 + | 2 (AA) | 4 (AABC) | 150 | 3 (AAC) | 130 |
| 50,000 to 80,000 | 2 (CC) | 4 (CCCD) | 100 | 3 (CCC) | 90 |
| Up to 50,000 | 2 (CC) | 3 (CCC) | 90 | 2 (CC) | 60 |
On clearing the berth after sailing, one tug will remain with the vessel until she is past and clear of the IOT.
See section 5 of the Humber Passage Plan, book 5, for full details and appendix (a) of this document for details of Howard Smith tugs.
Minimum number of tugs required:
| Vessel dead-weight |
At Sunk Spit Buoy |
Berthing | Minimum bollard Pull |
Unberthing | Minimum bollard Pull |
| GAS TANKERS | |||||
| 150,000 | 2 | 2 |
See section 5 of Humber Passage Plan, book 2, for full details and appendix (a) of this document for details of Howard Smith Towage tugs.
Minimum number of tugs required:
| Vessel dead-weight |
At Sunk Spit Buoy |
Berthing | Minimum bollard Pull |
Unberthing | Minimum bollard Pull |
| TANKERS | |||||
| 50,000 to 80,000 | 2 (CC) | 4 (CCCD) | 100 | 3 (CCC) | 90 |
| Up to 50,000 | 2 (CC) | 3 (CCC) | 90 | 2 (CC) | 60 |
| GAS TANKERS | |||||
| 20,000 m3 | 2 | 2 |
Note – ( ) denotes the tug class corresponding to the minimum tug number requirement. Where a Class D is provided, the minimum number of tugs required will be increased by one to include the D class tug, except in the case of a 50,000 – 80,000 DWT vessel berthing.
See section 5 of Humber Passage Plan, Book 2, for full details and appendix (a) of this document for details of Howard Smith Towage tugs.
The terminal is equipped with a current meter, anemometer, and tidal height data to provide up to the minute information on wind and current velocities.
The final decision on whether to berth / unberth rests with the Master.
Until further operational experience of No. 2 berth is established, vessels are only permitted to berth unassisted by tugs, when the following conditions are not exceeded: -
Max: Acceptable Current: 3.5kts
Max: Acceptable Crosswind: 15kts
(Minimum size tug is 25 tonne bollard pull).
When these conditions are exceeded, no vessel should attempt to berth at HST No. 2 without tug assistance.
A crosswind is defined as a wind blowing within 45º either side of a bearing on the beam of a vessel at the jetty, i.e. from 007º - 097º (T) or 187º - 277º (T).
Minimum number of tugs required:
| Vessel dead-weight |
At Sunk Spit Buoy |
Berthing | Minimum bollard Pull |
Unberthing | Minimum bollard Pull |
| TANKERS | |||||
| 40,000 + | 2 (CC) | 3 (CCD) | 90 | 2 (CC) | 60 |
| GAS CARRIERS | |||||
| 20,000 m3 | 2 (CC) | 3 (CCD) | 90 | 2 (CC) | 60 |
| <20,000 m3 | 2 (CC) | 2 (CC) | 0 | 2 (CC) | 60 |
See section 5 of Humber Passage Plan, Book 4, for full details and appendix (a) of this document for details of Howard Smith Towage tugs.
- The vessel bound to or from the dock exceeds 150 metres LOA,
- The River Terminal 1 berth is occupied by a vessel with a LOA in excess of 180 metres,
- There is a moderate wind, whose speed does not exceed 20 knots.
Tug Classes – as used for “Passage Plan Vessels”.Class A
Name Type Bollard Pull Svitzer Laura ASD 70 tonnes Svitzer Valiant ASD 70 tonnes Svitzer Ferriby ASD 70 tonnes Svitzer Keelby ASD 64 tonnes Svitzer Alma 2 Voith Schneider 60 tonnes Svitzer Josephine 2 Voith Schneider 53 tonnes Svitzer Kathleen 2 Voith Schneider 53 tonnes Svitzer Moira ASD 50 tonnes Svitzer Ellerby ASD 50 tonnes Class C
Name Type Bollard Pull Svitzer Constance 2 Voith Schneider 32 tonnes Lady Stephanie 2 Voith Schneider 32 tonnes Lady Susan 2 Voith Schneider 32 tonnes
Name Type Bollard Pull Red Wolf Azimuth Stern Drive 90 tonnes Red Dolphin (ex REMO) Azimuth Stern Drive 85 tonnes Serviceman Azimuth Stern Drive 55 tonnes Norman Azimuth Stern Drive 50 tonnes Englishman Azimuth Stern Drive 50 tonnes Lloydsman (ex ZETA) Azimuth Stern Drive 50 tonnes Irishman Azimuth Stern Drive 40 tonnes Yeoman Azimuth Stern Drive 40 tonnes Tradesman Azimuth Stern Drive 33 tonnes Trueman Azimuth Stern Drive 33 tonnes
Name Type Bollard Pull Felix Tow Single Screw 2 tonnes Gillian Knight Single Screw 2 tonnes Lashette Twin Schottle 10 tonnes Shovette Twin Schottle 12 tonnes Speedwell Single Screw 5 tonnes Primrose Single Screw 5 tonnes Mary Single Screw 3 tonnes
Name Type Bollard Pull Little Shuva Single Screw 5 tonnes Kirby Single Screw
