The ports of Paraná received reinforcement in maritime support operations. It is a new tug, bigger and more powerful, which joins the other 11 that already operate in the Paraná terminals. The Starnav Electra is 32 meters long, 11.6 meters wide (mouth) and has a draft of 6.03. The static traction of the vessel is 81.5 tons.
The Starnav vessel came from the Detroit shipyard, on the Santa Catarina coast, where it was built, straight to the Paraná coast. It arrived Tuesday (04), and has already performed a test maneuver, mooring a fertilizer ship in the Port of Antonina. The crew (composed of four professionals) remains in training with the new equipment throughout this week.
According to the head of the Operations Department at Portos do Paraná, Richard Amatuzzi Franco, one more tug in the fleet (the 12th) means more and better conditions to meet the demands. “We can handle more maneuvers simultaneously, dock more ships, reducing operational time,” he says.
According to him, the growth in handling and high productivity that terminals in Paraná have achieved boost this fleet increase and attract new investments.
“Everyone wants to operate and establish themselves where they have more security, more productivity, rules that regulate services well, transparency in Porto rules and pilotage. We have all favorable conditions for full operations and growth, ”adds Franco.
INVESTMENT – The Starnav Electra tug is owned and manned by Starnav Serviços Marítimos. In the ports of Paraná it will be operated in partnership with the C Quartz tug from the company Camorim. It is the second vessel that companies operate in partnership in the ports of Paraná.
“In addition to being more powerful and modern, Starnav Electra comes to add efficiency and safety to operations. We will certainly have our operational capacity expanded for all our customers and partners ”, comments Vinícius Balbinott Silva, Port Support manager at Starnav.
He explains that, in addition to the prospect of growth in the ports of Paraná, others are the attractions for this investment. “They are diversified ports in cargo, which expands the range of customers that we can serve. This is a very favorable point ”, he says.
STRENGTH – The average power of the tugs currently in operation at the ports of Paranaguá and Antonina ranges from 45 to 75 tons. In technical terms, this power is measured in BP, the acronym for Bollard pull – which is the force that the tug is capable of doing in the maneuvers where it is applied.
“This vessel is azimuth. Her propulsion system consists of two main engines (CAT 3516 CHD) of 2,525 Kw each and propellers (Schottel SRP) 490 FP. This provides high maneuverability and static traction, with more than 80 tons of force ”, explains the manager.
The new tug is capable of operating in any port in the country, from the largest to the smallest, and, mainly, for handling large ships.
PILOTAGE – The pilot responsible for the first Electra maneuver was Hélio Takahiro Sinohara. According to him, having an extra tug is better not only in terms of logistics, but also for safety and flexibility in maneuvers.
“A more powerful vessel certainly helps, especially now with the increase in ship sizes, increases in draft, little by little. Ships need more power to maneuver ”, he confirms.
Who brought the Electra from the Santa Catarina shipyard to the Port of Paranaguá was Emerson Rogério, who is the commanding instructor of Starnav’s port support division, who will teach the new crew how to navigate the newly arrived equipment. “The crew that is going to work already has experience in port maneuvers, they just need to know this vessel, which is new, has new equipment”, he says.
The commander recalls that in addition to the power, the tug stands out for the technology applied in automation, which brings more safety to navigation. Another highlight, according to him, is the comfort of the cabin, kitchen, cafeteria, laundry and other structures, necessary for the rest of the team, so that they are always in focus, always ready for operations.
OPERATIONS – A tugboat is mainly used in the mooring and unberthing maneuvers of ships – helping with force to reduce speed, pull, push or hold. However, these are not the only functions.
“A tug can carry out a series of activities such as water and oil storage. With the space we have on deck we can transport cargo. Responding to a stranded or adrift ship emergency. Lack of machine. Also for fire fighting ”, says Helton Farias, Camorim’s operations coordinator.
As Farias demonstrates, Electra’s fire fighting equipment (Fire Fighting 1) has a range of up to 120 meters horizontally and 50 meters vertically. “My vision for the arrival of this new vessel automatically connects to the commercial part, but it also guarantees the safeguarding of the port in relation to navigation and all the maritime structure that we can serve”, he concludes.
Source: Portos do Paraná
