Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING 
  • B63B35/00—Vessels or similar floating structures specially adapted for specific purposes and not otherwise provided for
  • B63B35/66—Tugs
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING 
  • B63B35/00—Vessels or similar floating structures specially adapted for specific purposes and not otherwise provided for
  • B63B35/14—Fishing vessels
  • B63B35/16—Trawlers
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING 
  • B63B35/00—Vessels or similar floating structures specially adapted for specific purposes and not otherwise provided for
  • B63B35/14—Fishing vessels
  • B63B35/24—Fish holds
  • B63B35/26—Fish holds for live fish
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING 
  • B63B35/00—Vessels or similar floating structures specially adapted for specific purposes and not otherwise provided for
  • B63B35/32—Vessels or similar floating structures specially adapted for specific purposes and not otherwise provided for for collecting pollution from open water

Definitions

• the invention relates to a towboat, as indicated in the introductory part of claim 1.
• towboat is meant every kind of towboat which is constructed and equipped for towing, hauling and rescuing boats and ships and other seagoing structures.
• Vessels are in general designed and built for specific purposes. Thus, most vessels are made as special purpose vessels, such as ferries, fishing boats, fish carriers, tigs, supply boats, fireboats, boats for oil pollution service, etc., each having special structures and specifications.
• Simple combination-vessels are also known, for instance boats having holds that can be used for different purposes or in different ways.
• combination- vessels have been limited.
• An example of an existing combination- vessel is a ring net vessel, which can be used as a trawler.
• Towboats have been built over the decades, having a low freeboard, high engine power and special demands concerning stability.
• a conventional towboat must have a towing hook or a towing point positioned an adequate distance in front of traditional rudders or propellers. This is necessary in order to achieve good turning ability when using the rudder.
• Towboats can be equipped with different propulsion systems, both conventional, ASD, and so-called "tractor" and escort-boats.
• Such vessels have not been used for purposes other than towing, and in some cases fireboats and icebreakers.
• the special demands on stability etc. have made it difficult to modify towboats to enable them to be used for other purposes, in periods when they are not used for towing.
• towboats are purely special purpose vessels, having relatively high operating costs.
• a vessel which must be characterized as an early version of what now is called a "service vessel for offshore work".
• the main feature of this vessel is that the shaping of the sections at the waterline is such that they can be extended to increase the draught, if it is to be used as an open sea towboat.
• the known vessel can be used for open sea towing, but can not be used as a towboat or as a fish carrier, because it is too big, it does not have a towing hook, which a conventional towboat needs, and furthermore, the distance between the rudder and a possible towing point is too short in relation to the distance between the towing point and the bow, among other things.
• the main object of the invention is to provide a towboat that can be used for other tasks, possibly simultaneously.
• the purpose of this is to arrange a vessel that has satisfactory properties for several tasks.
• the switch-over from one task to another should be possible with a minimum of readjustment and a minimum of time delay.
• towboat which is suited for transport of living fish, possibly with simultaneously towing, and which possibly is provided with equipment for counting fish, delousing fish and similar. It should also be possible to adapt the vessel for other purposes, such as ice breaking and in connection with deployment of oil booms and/or sucking up pollution.
• a vessel according to the present invention can function as a fish carrier function and as a towboat. This can be acheived by utilizing the tank volume to obtain better stability. By filling the tank with water or with water and fish, or possibly other fluids a stable ballast can be acheived in novel manner.
• Such a vessel can, alternatingly or simultaneously, be used for towboat operation and as a fish carrier.
• a towboat When used as a towboat, one will provide as most mass as possible by filling the tanks to the maxumum with water or water and fish, or other fluids.
• Fish carriers and towboats of today have high downtime.
• the vessel according to the invention it is possible to use the same vessel for both purposes, and possibly others, without lengthy preparation.
• Another, and a substantial advantage, is that in rescue operations, for instance when pulling off ships that have run aground with a tugboat, one gets substantially increased mass and hence increased pulling force.
• the vessel can be arranged with fixed ballast, so that the demand on stability is fulfilled also with empty or partially empty tanks.
• Fig. 1 is a side elevation view of a vessel according to the invention, which is arranged with an engine room at the stern and a hold midships
• Fig. 2 is an equivalent view of an alternative embodiment, which in addition can be used as an icebreaker and a firefighting vessel
• Fig. 3 is an equivalent side elevation view of a further embodiment, where the engine room is positioned midships in connection to the hold and with a double rudder propeller unit ("tractor")
• tractor double rudder propeller unit
• a vessel according to the invention in which a hold 11 is arranged midships. At the rear end of the hold 11, an engine room 12 is arranged with a single or a double propulsion engine 13. At the forward end of the hold 11 there is space 14 for day room, ballast tanks or similar. A hydraulically controlled hatch 15, 16 is arranged at the bottom of fore and aft of the hold 11, for filling and evacuation of the same.
• the hold 11 can possibly be divided into multiple separate parts.
• the vessel has a bow thruster 17 and also an additional side thruster 18 arranged in the hull, in front of a propeller 19 and a rudder 20. Between the stern and a deck house 27 there is arranged a deck 21, possibly with coaming and hatches 39.
• a towing hook 22 and a towing block 23 At the rear end of the deck house 27 there is arranged a towing hook 22 and a towing block 23. In the example, these parts are arranged approximately midships. In a conventional boat type, they can be arranged between the rudder stock and midships. Approximately at the centre of the deck 21, in longitudinal direction, astern of a hatch, there is arranged a towing bridle 24 over a winch 25 with a bobbin winder 26. With such equipment, the vessel can be used as a towboat in an ordinary manner, if the vessel has the required stability in regard to the pulling force (bollard pull).
• the deck house 27 has a companionway 28 leading to the engine room 12, through a passage 29 that is on the side of the hatch of the hold 11.
• the passage 29 can, for instance, rise up to the level of the rail, while the lower part is recessed below the deck, in the hold 11.
• the vessel In front of the deck house 27 is the superstructure 35 of the vessel, with its wheelhouse and crew facilities in a known manner.
• the vessel has rubber fenders at the bow and at the stern 36, 37, and a bulbous bow 38.
• Fig. 2 shows an alternative embodiment with an icebreaking bow 40, a water cannon 41 on the top of the superstructure 35 for firefighting, and a cloak 42 under the towing bridle 24.
• the cloak 42 has an entrance door 43 for access down to the engine room 12.
• this example has the advantage of a still greater range of uses, as it can be used alternately, and with short switch-over time, as a towboat, a fish carrier, ice breaker and a fire- float.
• Fig. 3 shows an embodiment with a propulsion machine 50 arranged midships in an engine room 51, and with a double rudder propeller unit 52 extending downwards.
• the engine room 51 can have the shape of a shaft.
• the towing line 55 can be inserted in the stern, below a towing bridle 56, and further onto the towing winch 25.
• the towing hook 22 can in this case be moved astern because the turning characteristics, which are required on a conventional towboat, are not necessary due to the location and type of the propeller.
• the vessel can also be formed with other types of propulsion units than the illustrated double propeller unit 52, for instance a propulsion unit of the Voith Schneider-type.
• a propulsion unit of the Voith Schneider-type Alternatively, a diesel-electric aggregate that gives electricity supply to an electric motor below the stern, can be arranged in the engine room 51.
• Other propulsion systems may also be of interest, such as waterjets and integrated electric engine propellers.
• This vessel can be constructed to have a small freeboard when the hold 11 is filled with water, or possibly also contains fish. This contributes to good stability, which is of particular importance if the vessel is used as a towboat in this situation. In this way a vessel is obtained, which can be better utilized, without downtime and with minimal preparations when alternating between different jobs. If the vessel has been used as a fish carrier for transportation offish, for instance from a net cage to a fishmanger, and the hold 11 has no water, water can quickly be filled into the hold 11, so that the boat enters a towboat configuration. This may also take place when the vessel is on the way between two job locations.
• a particular advantage of the vessel according to the invention is that it can be used for at least two substantially different purposes simultaneously. Previously, two different vessels where built for such purposes.
• this vessel can tow and transport cargo simultaneously. This is a development that can have a large utility value beyond the economic aspect. It will for instance be possible to have more vessels available, strategically located at selected places along the coast, which can tow fish farms when algal problems or ice problems makes it necessary to move net cages at short notice.
• different types of equipment for processing fish can be arranged inside or outside, such as counting equipment, sorting equipment, de using equipment, cleaning equipment, RS V installation, aeration plant and similar.
• additional drainage pumps for emergency pumping or drainage of oil spillage, or drainage of wrecked boats.
• the deck area and the hold can also be used for transport of oil booms, for deployment in polluted sea areas, and for equipment for suction of oil from oil booms.
• the vessel according to the invention can be equipped with facilities for rendering ballast water harmless, for instance by radiation treatment, including ballast water from ships and other marine constructions.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Ocean & Marine Engineering (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Marine Sciences & Fisheries (AREA)
• Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
• Public Health (AREA)
• Farming Of Fish And Shellfish (AREA)
• Cosmetics (AREA)
• Mechanical Means For Catching Fish (AREA)
• Jib Cranes (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=19913565

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (7)

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• 2002
  • 2002-04-25 NO NO20021944A patent/NO316066B1/no not_active IP Right Cessation
• 2003
  • 2003-04-25 EP EP03725893A patent/EP1499524A1/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 2003-04-25 CN CNB038119390A patent/CN100372733C/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2003-04-25 WO PCT/NO2003/000136 patent/WO2003091093A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2003-04-25 JP JP2003587673A patent/JP2005523203A/ja not_active Withdrawn
  • 2003-04-25 CA CA002484175A patent/CA2484175A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2003-04-25 AU AU2003228152A patent/AU2003228152A1/en not_active Abandoned

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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