Dutch Tugs 9

On a windy day recently in the Beerkanaal section greater Rotterdam harbor, Jan Oosterboer took these photos, passed along by Jan van der Doe.

The small boats here are operated by the KRVE, self-translated as “rowers” but more likely we’d call them linesmen.  The more distant KRVE boat is alongside Smit Cheetah.  The link that follow are mostly for previous instances these boats have appeared on this blog.

Here’s their own site in English.

Fairplay 27

SD Rebel

Multratug 31

In the distance newly-launched LNG carrier Vladimir Rusanov, shuttling between Rotterdam and Russian Kara Sea port of Sabetta.   I had to look up Sabetta, since I’d not heard of it:  average annual temperature is 14 degrees F, -10 C

Above and below, that’s Smit Hudson.

Iskes tug Venus is about three years old. 

 

Above and below FairPlay X,

which has not been on this blog before.  Multratug 5 shows her Japanese origins, 

here with Beagle, new this spring.

Many thanks to Jan and Jan for these photos.  Any errors in text are mine.

 

Thanks to Xtian 2

So here was 1 and in it I said I would answer a question in a few days and now a few weeks have passed.  The question pertained to the device mounted on the stern of vessel

Husky.  Congrats to Seth Tane, who guessed correctly.  Here’s what Xtian writes:  “It’s a plough.  In French we talk about “nivelage” [leveling], which means after dredging the bottom of the sea is like a field that has just passed a plow.  This tool cuts the bump to fill the gap.  It’s also used in the rivers where the “alluvium” or the mud stays in always same places because of the current and built like “bottom hill” there.  And it happens also in some harbour (like ferries’ harbour) as because the ferries always doing the same maneuver and raise the mud that still lay at the same place.

With the plough used at the right time, ebb tide for example, the mud is raised and leaves the harbour with tidal current.  In some places the plough is used to feed the hopper dredger –  when the dredger is too large, the plough is used to remove a “bottom hill” when they are close to the bank to give the mud at the place where the hopper dredge is working.   The plough is not only used with mud but also with sand or pebble.  Google with words : Dredge – Plough.

About Husky, the day I took this picture she was working closely with the dredge Rijndelta at the entrance of Maasvlakte harbor.   I add a picture of her below.”

More of Xtian’s photos follow, like this closeup of the captain of Smit Cheetah,

 

Fairplay 24 and 21,

Union 11 passing the Mammoet headquarters,

Smit Schelde,

SD Rebel,

Multratug 31, 

Osprey Fearless, 

Pieter (?) towing Matador 2,

and finally the recently completed Noordstroom.

 

Many thanks to Xtian for these photos of another watershed.