The Dutch company Kotug started to offer towing services in Bremerhaven on 1. January 1999. Nobody could be surprised in Bremerhaven by this move as Kotug was working in Hamburg since 1996. Kotug had a number of advantages in competition for example a 40% subsidy on wages by the Dutch authorities, longer working hours and last but not least their three Rotor tugs. These tugs have a bollard pull of 76tonnes and were more than 50% stronger than the local tugs. The URAG reacted fast and ordered two tugs of comparable strength:

URAG and the shipyard Hitzler of Lauenburg/Elbe signed a contract about the delivery of two tugs on 29.January 1999. The tugs were to have cyclodial Voith-Schneider propulsion (VSP) and 70tonnes bollard pull (tbp). The hulls were built at shipyard Nauta in Gdynia (Poland) und finished at shipyard Hitzler. The superstructure, propellor blades, nozzle plate and skeg were added at the Norderwerft shipyard in Hamburg. Reason for this are the shallow shipping channel between Geesthacht and Lauenburg on the river Elbe as well as the limited air draught of the bridges across the Elbe in Hamburg. Both tugs were christened and put into service at the Seebäderkaje in Bremerhaven on 24. August 2004. The costs were appr. 15 Mio. DM per tug.

Allgemein: JADE and WESER are Voith-Schneider tractors, that means the propulsion units are located beneath the bow. The blades of the VSP's are protected against grounding on the underside bei a nozzle plate. The plate increases the propellor thrust like a kort nozzle additionally. In dock the tugs stand on the nozzle plates and skeg. Main engines of each tug are two MaK diesel motors type 8M25. Each motor delivers 2.500kW at 750rpm. The engines are coupled to two VSP type 32GII/225 (Dia=3,20m, 5 blades of 2,25m length). The tugs have a maximum speed of 13,5kts and 71tonnes bollard pull. A comparison with RT Magic (4.630kW using three Schottel-propellors, 76tbp) shows the 10% to 15% lower thrust of the VS-propulsion at equal engine output caused by the incomplete nozzle provided by the nozzle plate. The tugs carry 207m³ fuel oil, 12m³ drinking water, 38m³ ballast water, and 5m³ lubricating oil. The tugs have an open bulwark with a stern roller. This enables the tugs to take aboard Flipper-Delta-anchors of up to 10tonnes weight during offshore work.

Afterdeck/ working deck:

The deck is protected by wooden sheeting and flanked by offshore-type cargo rails. Bollards and guide rollers are located between bulwarks and cargo rails. The towing staple is placed amidst the deck. It has a wooden sheeting on the front and can be tilted to the aft hydraulically until it is flush with the deck. This way the deck has an unobstructed area of 80m² and anchors can be taken aboard. Between towing staple and stern roller Karmoy shark jaws and pins are located. The hydraulically driven HATLAPA towing winch is of the waterfall type. The lower drum is divided in a drum carrying 300m steel wire for habour work and a drum with 220m steel wire for anchor handling. The upper drum carries 900m steel wire. All wires have 48mm diameter. The pulling power on the upper drum is 30tonnes at 0-24m/min, the brake power is up to 150tonnes. A tugger winch and a capstan with a pulling power of 10tonnes each are located on the working deck too.

Forecastledeck:

The deck is raised about a half deck above the afterdeck. The combined hydraulically driven HATLAPA anchor and mooring winch is located at the bow. The winch has two gypsy wheels, one mooring drum, and one warp head.

Boat deck:

It is above the foredeck and carries the wheelhouse. The MOB boat and its launching crane are located in front of the wheelhouse between a breakwater and the wheelhouse. To follow the elevation of foredeck and working deck the boat deck has a step behind the wheelhouse. The funnels and two life rafts are located at this step. A HAP BTLi 10-2 crane with 0,7tonnes capacity at 10,4m reach is seated at the aft end of the boat deck.

Bridge deck:

A technical room was placed between boat deck and bridge deck as well as a stair case from foredeck to bridge deck. The bridge deck carries the wheelhouse. HAGENUK supplied a large part of the navigational equipment (2 radar systems type MD2100EPA, the ECS sytem, the GMDSS(A2) system, satellite telephone and weather fax. Autopilot and gyrocompass came from Anschütz. The mast on top of the wheelhouse carries the navigation lights, two radars and two searchlights. The mast can be tilted above the second radar.

Accomodations:

Both tugs have a crew of three in habour work. Totally there are cabins for 8 persons. Four single bed cabins, sanitary rooms, galley and mess room are on the foredeck. Two double cabins are placed directly below but above the waterline.

JADE and WESER are used as ship assist tugs in Bremerhaven and Wilhelmshaven as well as in offshore towage in the North Sea. The two ladders at the sides of the superstructure proof that the tugs are used in pilot service, too. The abilty of the tugs to take aboard anchors allows shorter anchor handling time and gives additional safety if the lead tug (AHT / AHTS of 100+ tbp) happens to fail.