Positioned well off the end of pier 26 (out of the picture on the far right) to avoid any chance of backwash from the pier face, the ship is running at full power.
Unfortunately due to the low resolution of the camera, the tow line is not visible. It is equipped with a load cell to measure the tractive effort of the tug in tonnes. Since the tug's bollard is specified in advance of construction, it is important to the builder that it meets the requirement. It is also important that the bollard pull reading is taken in a standardized way so that this tug's BP is can be compared to the BP of other tugs, as it will influence hire rates and qualification for certain work.
Since Atlantic Towing Ltd has a contract for this tug, which also specified bollard pull, it is a critical part of trials.
Bollard Pull has become a contentious issue, since it is not always a reliable measure of a tug's ability. It also can "erode" over time as the tug ages and its engines wear in. However for now it seems to be relied upon as a universal measurement.
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