Full-rotation tug with functions of port berthing assistance and coastal towing

Abstract

The invention provides a full-rotation tug with both port mooring assistance and coastal towing, and belongs to the technical field of tugs. The ship comprises a ship body structure, the ship body structure comprises a main deck and a head lifting deck, the main deck and the head lifting deck form a connecting deck structure in the middle of the ship body structure, a towing engine is arranged at the position, close to the middle of the ship body structure, of the main deck, and two anchor winches are symmetrically arranged on the head lifting deck; a folding arm crane and a winch are arranged on the main deck located behind the towing engine, a cabin platform is arranged in the ship body structure below the main deck, a standby cable winding machine is installed on the cabin platform, and a cable hatch cover used for allowing a cable on the standby towing engine to enter and exit is arranged on the main deck. A larger coverage range is provided for tail towing, sailors can be ensured to safely engage in towing work by canceling the design of the rear lifting deck, and the cylinder hanging space required by maintenance of the medium-speed engine can be met by extending the first lifting deck.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the technical field of marine engineering equipment and relates to a fully revolving tugboat capable of both assisting berthing in ports and towing along the coast. Background Art

[0002] Tugboats, also known as tugboats, are used to tow incapable vessels and rafts, assist larger ships in entering and leaving ports, dock, or rescue vessels in distress. A tugboat with a propeller that can rotate 360 degrees provides enhanced maneuverability. Due to the high power, reliable performance, and ease of operation and maintenance of medium-speed engines, conventional tugboats in China are equipped with two high-powered, marine-grade medium-speed engines.

[0003] At present, conventional domestic berthing assistance full-rotation tugboats are mainly used for port berthing assistance and cannot meet the towing requirements in coastal and offshore areas. Refer to the existing patent CN201811122760.4, the details are as follows: First, the current conventional full-revolving tugboat design has a main deckhouse that is nearly two-thirds of the total length (including the engine room roof. If the engine room roof is not installed, there will be insufficient space for the lifting cylinder required for medium-speed engine maintenance); Secondly, if the towing winch and the corresponding towing limit fairlead are located in the stern area of the vessel, at a distance of nearly 1 / 10 of the ship's length from the steering propeller, when the towing winch and the fairlead are subjected to towing force, the steering torque of the steering propeller is offset, causing the tugboat and the towed object to lose control of their navigation direction, posing a safety hazard. Finally, in order to meet the maintenance height of the steering gear room, a raised stern deck is installed at the stern, and there are no bulwarks or railings in the raised stern deck area, which puts the crew in an unsafe state when performing towing work (cable connection, rigging installation) on the raised stern deck. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present invention addresses the aforementioned issues with existing technologies by proposing a fully revolving tugboat capable of both harbor berthing assistance and coastal towing. While maintaining the performance of a harbor berthing tugboat, this invention, through scientific design and rational layout, truly implements stern towing functionality. Furthermore, the tugboat maintains steering effectiveness during towing, enabling the tugboat and towed object to maintain or change course according to the captain's will. Furthermore, the aft raised deck is eliminated, and a 1-meter-high bulwark is installed on the aft main deck to ensure the crew can safely engage in towing operations. Because the tugboat's engine room is designed for medium-speed engines, the bow raised deck is extended, effectively providing an engine room roof, providing the necessary hoisting space for medium-speed engine maintenance.

[0005] The purpose of the present invention can be achieved through the following technical solutions: A fully revolving tugboat capable of both assisting in port mooring and towing along the coast comprises a hull structure, a cab being provided on the hull structure, a mast being provided on top of the cab, a concave tail end of the bottom of the hull structure and symmetrically mounted with two fully revolving propellers, a main deck and a bow raised deck, the main deck extending from the tail end of the hull structure to the middle, and the bow raised deck extending from the bow end of the hull structure to the middle. A towing winch is provided on the main deck near the middle of the hull structure; Two anchor winches are symmetrically arranged on the bow raised deck near the bow of the hull structure; A folding jib crane and winch are located on the main deck behind the towing winch; A cabin platform is provided in the hull structure below the main deck, a spare cable winder is installed on the cabin platform, and a spare cable cover for entering and exiting the cable on the spare cable winder is provided on the main deck.

[0006] Preferably, two bilge keels are symmetrically provided on both sides of the bottom of the hull structure, and the bilge keels extend from the downward curved line of the bow of the hull structure to the upward curved line of the stern.

[0007] Preferably, the width of the bilge keel is 500 mm, which enhances the stability and seakeeping of the ship in case of heeling and enhances the safety during operation.

[0008] Preferably, the bow of the hull structure is provided with a vertical D-shaped fender rubber and a transverse M-shaped rubber fender, wherein the bottom of the D-shaped fender rubber is beveled to better fit the outer plate of the ship to be supported.

[0009] Preferably, a watershed midship is provided at the center of the bottom of the hull structure, the bow and stern ends of the watershed midship are flush with the bow and stern ends of the bilge keel, the bow end of the watershed midship transitions to the bottom of the hull structure in a circular arc segment, and the stern end of the watershed midship transitions to the bottom of the hull structure at an angle.

[0010] Preferably, chimney structures are symmetrically provided on both sides of the towing winch, and a fan room is provided at the tail position of the chimney structure near the hull structure. A cabin fan is provided in the fan room, and the outlet of the cabin fan is arranged at the top of the fan room. The side walls of the chimney structure are provided with shutters.

[0011] Preferably, a first cabin layer is provided on the bow raised deck, an empty cabin is provided between the cab and the first cabin layer, and the empty cabin is divided into a spare parts room and an electrical equipment room.

[0012] Preferably, a crane entrance cover for inspecting and repairing equipment in the cabin platform is provided on the main deck located behind the knuckle boom crane.

[0013] Preferably, a rudder and propeller compartment is provided at the tail of the hull structure, and two servos for adjusting the directions of the azimuth propellers are installed in the rudder and propeller compartment, and the net height of the rudder and propeller compartment is greater than 1.9 meters.

[0014] Preferably, a fixed ballast is provided below the rudder propeller compartment, and the fixed ballast is composed of a number of prefabricated concrete blocks.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following advantages: The characteristic of this tugboat is that the stern bottom plate of the hull structure is raised and there is no stern raised deck. After the stern bottom plate of the hull structure is raised, the stern draft is correspondingly reduced, making it suitable for shallow water operations, expanding the operating range, and preventing the propeller or stern from hitting the bottom in the complex environment of the harbor. At the same time, after the stern draft is reduced, the hull is less affected by the beam waves, making the heading stability higher, especially in severe sea conditions. Since there is no stern raised deck and bulwarks are installed in the main deck area, the crew can safely engage in towing work. In addition, since the cab on the hull structure is close to the bow and there is no stern raised deck, the crew's observation of the dynamics of the towline will not be blocked. Since the stern bottom plate of the hull structure is raised and there is no stern raised deck, the normal maintenance height of the rudder and propeller compartment can be met by increasing the height of the main deck from the baseline. At the same time, the bow raised deck extends from the bow of the hull structure to the middle position, and the main engine is arranged under the raised deck, which meets the cylinder lifting space required for the maintenance of the medium-speed engine. At the same time, crew cabins can be arranged between the bottom of the bow raised deck and the platform deck above the full-load waterline, which fully meets the requirements of maritime regulations for the layout of cabins above the full-load waterline of coastal ships. More cabin arrangements can ensure the needs of domestic crew members for beds and living facilities when they work and rest in three shifts; The towing winch and the cable holes on the crisscross-shaped bollards of this tugboat (i.e., the towline fixing guide points) are located close to the middle of the hull structure. The towline tension application point is closer to the center of gravity of the hull structure, which can reduce the pitch moment generated by the hull during towing, keep the hull structure stable, and maintain the steering torque of the rudder propeller. This allows the tugboat and the towed object to control the navigation direction according to the captain's will, improve the flexibility of towing, and enhance the accuracy of course control. The main parameters of this fully revolving tugboat are basically the same as those of conventional berthing-assisting fully revolving tugboats. The bow anchor winch and other towing equipment are fully equipped in accordance with CCS guidelines. When berthing large ships approaching the port or towing them backward with a bow mooring cable, the upper structure maintains a safe distance from the large ships to avoid collisions and operate safely. The maintenance tugboat can safely perform its due functions during port operations. This tugboat rationally utilizes the spare space in the engine room to arrange a spare cable winder and installs a watertight cable hatch cover on the deck. A folding arm crane is arranged directly above the cross-shaped cable bollard, and a winch is arranged on the side of the cross-shaped cable bollard. This not only meets the requirements of the CCS Guidelines for Marine Towing, that the spare steel cable in the spare cable winder can be safely, effectively and quickly transferred to the drum of the towing winch, but also meets the requirements for the tugboat to use auxiliary short cables, dragon's whisker cables, triangles, shackles and other tools for stern towing operations and tool storage. Most importantly, the rational arrangement of large equipment such as the spare cable winder, folding arm crane and winch in the limited space of this tugboat does not produce any adverse effects on the towing winch and steel cable towing the towed vessel or towed object. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] Figure 1 It is a front view of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a bow view of the present invention; Figure 3 is a stern view of the present invention; Figure 4 is a top view of the main deck and the bow raised deck of the present invention; Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the internal engine room platform of the hull structure of the present invention; Figure 6 It is a schematic diagram of the empty cabin between the cab and the cabin layer in the present invention; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the installation of a crisscross-shaped bollard and a folding arm crane; FIG8 is a schematic diagram of the installation of an M-type cable bollard.

[0017] In the figure, 1. hull structure; 11. amidships watershed; 12. bilge keel; 13. D-type fender rubber; 131. M-type fender rubber; 14. Azimuth propeller; 141. Steering gear; 15. Cable hatch cover; 16. Hoisting entrance cover; 17. Spare cable windlass; 171. Stern towing pile; 172. Fairlead; 18. Ballast tank and main and auxiliary engine cooling water tank; 19. Fixed ballast; 2. Navigation cab; 21. Void compartment; 22. Mast; 23. First cabin level; 3. Towing winch; 4. Knuckle boom crane; 41. Cross-shaped bollard; 5. Fan room; 6. Anchor winch; 61. M-type bollard; 62. Bow towing pile; 7. Capstan. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0018] The following are specific embodiments of the present invention and the accompanying drawings to further describe the technical solutions of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to these embodiments.

[0019] like Figure 1As shown in Figure 8, an azimuth tugboat with both port berthing assistance and coastal towing includes a hull structure 1, a cab 2 is provided on the hull structure 1, a mast 3 is provided on the top of the cab 2, the tail end of the bottom of the hull structure 1 is concave and two azimuth propellers 14 are symmetrically installed. The bottom of the hull structure 1 with the azimuth propellers 14 is raised, so that the tail draft is reduced accordingly, so that it can adapt to shallow water operations, expand the operating range, and avoid the propeller touching the bottom. At the same time, after the tail draft is reduced, the hull is less affected by the transverse waves, which makes the heading stability higher, especially in severe sea conditions, towing operations are safer.

[0020] A rudder and propeller compartment is provided at the rear of the hull structure 1, in which two servos 141 for adjusting the direction of the full-rotation propeller 14 are installed. The net height of the rudder and propeller compartment is greater than 1.9 meters, which meets the normal maintenance height of the rudder and propeller compartment. Since the rear bottom plate of the hull structure is raised, in order to ensure the normal maintenance height of the rudder and propeller compartment, the height of the main deck from the baseline is raised accordingly.

[0021] The hull structure 1 includes a main deck and a bow raised deck. The main deck extends from the stern to the middle of the hull structure 1. Bulwarks are provided at the edges of the main deck and the bow raised deck. Preferably, the height of the bulwarks is greater than 1 meter. Anti-wear semi-circular steel is installed on the top of the bulwarks, and fenders are provided on the outside of the bulwarks. Since there is no stern raised deck, the cable of the towing winch has a larger cable-out angle range in the horizontal direction, which can adapt to towing requirements in different directions and improve the flexibility of stern towing.

[0022] The bow raised deck extends from the bow of the hull structure 1 to the middle position, and forms a continuous deck structure with the main deck in the middle position of the hull structure. The engine room layout of this tugboat adopts a medium-speed engine type, that is, the medium-speed engine is not in the middle position of the hull structure, so that the medium-speed engine is located below the bow raised deck, which meets the cylinder space required for the maintenance of the medium-speed engine; in addition, a first cabin layer 23 is provided on the bow raised deck. Since the height of the main deck and the bow raised deck are raised, crew cabins can also be set below the bow raised deck, which fully meets the requirements of maritime regulations for cabin layout of coastal ships above the full load waterline. At the same time, more cabin arrangements can ensure the needs of domestic crew members for beds and living facilities when they work and rest in three shifts.

[0023] A towing winch 3 and a crisscross bollard 41 are located on the main deck near the middle of the hull structure 1. The point of application of the towing cable is closer to the center of gravity of the hull structure, reducing the pitching moment generated by the hull during towing, maintaining the stability of the hull structure, and maintaining the steering torque of the rudder propeller. This allows the tugboat and the towed object to control the navigation direction according to the captain's will, improving towing flexibility and course control accuracy. Several stern bollards 171 are symmetrically arranged on the port and starboard sides of the main deck, and several fairleads 172 are symmetrically arranged on the main deck's bulwarks. A capstan 7 is also located on the side of the crisscross bollard 41. The capstan 7 is a hydraulic vertical winch, primarily used for retracting and releasing the cable to maintain cable tension. The cable hole on the crisscross bollard 41 (i.e., the towing cable fixing guide point) is located 5%-10% of the ship's length behind the guide point at the midpoint of the ship's length, meeting CCS regulations for offshore towing tugs.

[0024] In addition, the towing machine has functions such as constant tension and automatic cable arrangement. The towing machine's power, emergency release, cable capacity (length), etc. fully meet the performance requirements of the CCS "Guidelines for Marine Towing".

[0025] Two anchor winches 6 are symmetrically arranged on the bow raised deck near the bow of the hull structure 1, wherein the anchor winches 6 also have the function of towing cables, and the anchor winches 6 can be used to tow the cables to assist in mooring. An M-shaped cable bollard 61 is provided on the bow raised deck in front of the anchor winch. Preferably, the bottom of the column of the M-shaped cable bollard 61 is inserted into the interior of the hull structure 1 and reinforced with the reverse side. At the same time, by designing the height of the M-shaped cable bollard, the maximum elevation angle of the cable can reach 30 degrees.

[0026] A cross-shaped mooring bollard 41 is provided on the main deck behind the towing winch 3. Preferably, the bottom of the column of the cross-shaped mooring bollard 41 is inserted into the interior of the hull structure 1 and reinforced together with the reverse side. A folding arm crane 4 is installed on the cross-shaped mooring bollard 41. The folding arm crane 4 is located on the center line of the hull structure 1. The cable on the towing winch 3 can pass through the cross-shaped mooring bollard 41 to avoid interference of the folding arm crane 4 on the direction of the cable outgoing rope. At the same time, by designing the height of the cross-shaped mooring bollard 41, the maximum elevation angle of the cable outgoing rope can reach 30 degrees.

[0027] A lifting entrance cover 16 for inspecting equipment in the engine room platform is also provided on the main deck behind the folding arm crane 4, which facilitates the use of the folding arm crane 4 to lift cables and equipment in the engine room, reducing dependence on external lifting equipment.

[0028] A cabin platform is provided in the hull structure 1 below the main deck, and a spare cable winder 17 is installed on the cabin platform. A spare cable cover 15 is provided on the main deck for entering and exiting the cable on the spare cable winder 17. The spare cable winder 17 is mainly used to store spare cables. In an emergency or when the cable of the main towing winch 3 breaks, the cable on the spare cable winder 3 can be lifted out from the spare cable cover 15 for use using a folding arm crane, eliminating the trouble of manually winding up the spare pull rope and simplifying the operation.

[0029] Preferably, the spare cable cover 15 and the lifting entrance cover 16 are both watertight and embedded to reduce the protruding structure on the main deck and avoid interference with the cable during towing.

[0030] Preferably, the bow of the hull structure 1 is provided with a vertical D-shaped fender rubber 13 and a transverse M-shaped rubber fender 131, wherein the bottom of the D-shaped fender rubber 13 is beveled to ensure better fit to the outer plate of the ship to be pushed against, thereby protecting the ship and the pushed ship.

[0031] In this embodiment, chimney structures are symmetrically provided on both sides of the towing winch 3. A fan chamber 5 is provided near the tail of the hull structure 1. A cabin fan is provided in the fan chamber 5. The outlet of the cabin fan is arranged at the top of the fan chamber 5. The side walls of the chimney structure are provided with shutters as fresh air inlets for the cabin.

[0032] In this embodiment, two bilge keels 12 are symmetrically provided on both sides of the bottom of the hull structure 1. The bilge keels 12 extend from the downward curved line at the bow of the hull structure 1 to the upward curved line at the stern. Preferably, the bilge keel has a width of 500 mm and a thickness of 14 mm. The size of the bilge keel is larger than that of the bilge keel of a conventional full-turn tugboat. The widened bilge keel has a larger contact area with the water flow when the tugboat rolls, and the fluid resistance generated is stronger, which can more efficiently consume the rolling energy, reduce the rolling amplitude of the hull, and ensure operational safety.

[0033] In this embodiment, a watershed midship 11 is provided at the center of the bottom of the hull structure 1. The fore and aft ends of the watershed midship 11 are flush with the fore and aft ends of the bilge keel 12. The fore end of the watershed midship 11 transitions to the bottom of the hull structure 1 in a circular arc, while the aft end of the watershed midship 11 transitions to the bottom of the hull structure 1 at an angle. The function of the watershed midship is to reduce turbulence and eddies on both sides of the hull structure, preventing the tail propeller from losing efficiency due to turbulent water flow. By extending the watershed midship to below the bow, the water flow can be guided to transition smoothly when the tugboat moves, reducing bow wave-making resistance, lowering energy consumption, and improving heading stability.

[0034] Preferably, an empty compartment 21 is provided between the cab 2 and the first compartment layer 23. The empty compartment 21 is divided into a spare parts room and an electrical equipment room. Placing some equipment within the cab 2's operating platform in the electrical equipment room provides better heat dissipation, ensuring reliability and service life. Furthermore, the empty compartment 21 raises the cab 2's height, providing a wider field of view. Preferably, the empty compartment 21 is approximately 1 meter high, with an access door provided on the outer bulkhead for easy maintenance.

[0035] Preferably, two ballast water tanks serving as main and auxiliary engine cooling water tanks 18 are symmetrically provided in the hull structure 1. Water inlet pipes and water outlet pipes are respectively provided on the side walls at both ends of the two ballast water tanks serving as main and auxiliary engine cooling water tanks 18. The ballast water in the tank is used as a cooling medium and is heat-exchanged with the main circuit of the cooling system of the main engine, the generator set and the air-conditioning equipment through a heat exchanger. After absorbing heat, the ballast water returns to the ballast water tanks serving as main and auxiliary engine cooling water tanks 18 through pipes for overall convection-assisted heat dissipation.

[0036] In this embodiment, a fixed ballast 19 is provided below the rudder propeller compartment. The fixed ballast 19 is composed of a number of precast concrete blocks. Preferably, there are 2,000 precast concrete blocks with a total weight of about 10 tons. The stability of the tugboat is ensured by the dynamic adjustment of the ballast water tank and the fixed ballast 19.

[0037] In this embodiment, the ship type of this full-revolving tugboat is basically consistent with the current conventional full-revolving tugboat for berthing assistance in the following main parameters: the length of the hull structure 1 is maintained within 40 meters, the beam is within 12 meters, the maximum draft is within 5 meters, it is not restricted by the waterway, and can operate flexibly in almost all ports; at the same time, the distance between the bow of the upper structure (cabin layer) and the frontmost fender rubber of the hull structure, the distance between the side of the upper structure (cabin layer) and the side fender material of the hull structure, the position of the mast, etc., when berthing a large ship approaching the port and berthing by towing the bow with a cable, the upper structure and the large ship maintain a safe distance, and safe operation without collision occurs.

Claims

1. An azimuth tugboat with both port mooring assistance and coastal towing, comprising a hull structure (1), a cab (2) provided on the hull structure (1), a mast (3) provided on the top of the cab (2), a bottom end of the hull structure (1) being concave and symmetrically mounted with two azimuth propellers (14), characterized in that: The hull structure (1) comprises a main deck and a bow raised deck, wherein the main deck extends from the stern of the hull structure (1) to the middle position, and the bow raised deck extends from the bow of the hull structure (1) to the middle position, and the main deck and the bow raised deck form a connecting deck structure in the middle of the hull structure (1); A towing winch (3) is provided on the main deck near the middle of the hull structure (1); Two anchor winches (6) are symmetrically arranged on the bow raised deck near the bow of the hull structure (1); A folding arm crane (4) and a winch (7) are provided on the main deck behind the towing winch (3); A cabin platform is provided in the hull structure (1) below the main deck, a spare cable winder (17) is installed on the cabin platform, and a cable hatch cover (15) for entering and exiting the cable on the spare cable winder (17) is provided on the main deck.

2. The fully revolving tugboat with both port berthing assistance and coastal towing functions according to claim 1, characterized in that: Two bilge keels (12) are symmetrically provided on both sides of the bottom of the hull structure (1), and the bilge keels (12) extend from a downwardly curved line at the bow of the hull structure (1) to an upwardly curved line at the stern.

3. The fully revolving tugboat with both port berthing assistance and coastal towing functions according to claim 2, characterized in that: The width of the bilge keel (12) is 500 mm.

4. The fully revolving tugboat with both port berthing assistance and coastal towing functions according to claim 3, characterized in that: The bow of the hull structure (1) is provided with a vertical D-shaped fender rubber (13) and a transverse M-shaped rubber fender (131), wherein the bottom of the D-shaped fender rubber (13) is beveled.

5. The fully revolving tugboat with both port berthing assistance and coastal towing functions according to claim 4, characterized in that: A watershed midship (11) is provided at the center of the bottom of the hull structure (1), the fore and aft ends of the watershed midship (11) are flush with the fore and aft ends of the bilge keel (12), the fore end of the watershed midship (11) transitions to the bottom of the hull structure (1) in the form of an arc segment, and the aft end of the watershed midship (11) transitions to the bottom of the hull structure (1) in an inclined manner.

6. The fully revolving tugboat with both port berthing assistance and coastal towing functions according to claim 1, characterized in that: Chimney structures are symmetrically provided on both sides of the towing winch (3), and a fan chamber (5) is provided near the tail of the hull structure (1) of the chimney structure. A cabin fan is provided in the fan chamber (5), and an outlet of the cabin fan is provided at the top of the fan chamber (5). Shutters are provided on the side walls of the chimney structure.

7. The fully revolving tugboat with both port berthing assistance and coastal towing functions according to claim 1, characterized in that: A first cabin layer (23) is provided on the bow raised deck, and an empty cabin (21) is provided between the cab (2) and the first cabin layer (23), wherein the empty cabin (21) is divided into a spare parts room and an electrical equipment room.

8. The fully revolving tugboat with both port berthing assistance and coastal towing functions according to claim 1, characterized in that: A crane entrance cover (16) for inspecting and repairing equipment in the engine room platform is provided on the main deck behind the folding arm crane (4).

9. The fully revolving tugboat with both port berthing assistance and coastal towing functions according to claim 1, characterized in that: A rudder and propeller compartment is provided at the rear of the hull structure (1), wherein two steering gears (141) for adjusting the directions of the azimuth propellers (14) are installed in the rudder and propeller compartment, and the net height of the rudder and propeller compartment is greater than 1.9 meters.

10. The fully revolving tugboat with both port berthing assistance and coastal towing functions according to claim 1, characterized in that: A fixed ballast (19) is provided below the rudder propeller compartment, and the fixed ballast (19) is composed of a plurality of prefabricated concrete blocks.

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