Powerful, robust and always ready for action: The new tugboat – the Alberoni – is a compact powerhouse that went into service on the northern Adriatic in Italy last May. Its job is to support the existing tugboat fleet in Ravenna port in managing the busy maritime traffic. Working within the narrow confines of Ravenna's port canal, the Alberoni has 70 tons of bollard pull at its disposal to push, pull and otherwise maneuver large vessels such as cargo ships into and out of terminals and steer them out of the port. That is a task not to be underestimated in light of the fact that the port of Ravenna is the only commercial port in Italy's Emilia-Romagna region.
Twin mtu-brand 16-cylinder Series 4000 units in combination with Azimuth propellers provide the Alberoni with the high level of agility it needs to do its job in the narrow harbor basin. With a power output of 2,100 kW at 1,800 rpm, they facilitate the vessel's 70-ton bollard pull, enabling freegoing speeds up to 12 knots.
The Alberoni was built by Turkish shipbuilder Med Marine in Eregli on the Black Sea and commissioned there at the end of last year.
