Boa and Boa

The tug Boa Odin arrived this morning towing the Boa Barge 33. The big Norwegian tug towed the barge from Stavanger in 22 days, averaging 6.2 knots.

The tug was built by Astilleros Zamakona Pasaia in 2010 as Svitzer Pembroke. A Robert Allen RAStar 3600 design, it is powered by two GM engines of 4083 bhp driving Schottel ASDs. It is rated at a surprising 97 tonnes bollard pull on its forward winch and 105 t BP on its towing winch. Fitted for salvage, towing and offshore work, it also has firefigthing and escort capabilities. Boa Tugs acquired the tug in 2014.

Its tow, the 12,303 grt barge is semi-submersible for heavy lifts with a carrying capacity of 24,800 tonnes.It was built in 2011 by Nanjing Wujiazui Shipbuilding Co Ltd. The 140m x 36m barge can submerge 8m below deck forward and 12m above deck aft and its 4,690 m3 deck can support 31.5 tonnes/m2.

The barge will load the two sections of the panamax floating drydock Novadock. It was renamed  F.D. Novadock under foreign flag, before it was cut in two. The severed sections have now been plated in and will be used as two floating drydocks by new owners in Florida.

Novadock in the background as the tug eases up on its towline.

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