Articulated tug barge
Articulated Tug Barge , usually abbreviated as ATB , AT / B or Dual Mode ITB , describes a push convoy made up of a sea-going tug , which is designed for both conventional towing operations with an attachment and for coupled operation with a specially designed barge . The predominant trading area of these push convoys is the US east coast, especially starting from the ports of the US Gulf. ATBs are also operated as far as the Great Lakes .
history
ATBs developed from the more highly specialized Integrated Tug Barge (ITB), which can only be operated in conjunction with a tractor / barge. Technically, ATBs are sea-going tugs with raised bridge superstructures, which can be coupled to an offshore barge with an additional lateral bolt connection for pushing operation. The barge is provided with a recess in the rear, into which the tractor can drive and be coupled to the barge. Not all tugs and barges have the same passport systems, but they are usually ordered as matching pairs or units, with several barges often being ordered for one tugboat.
How the clutches work
With this type of push convoy, a distinction is made between ATB (Articulated Tug Barge) and ITB (Integrated Tug Barge). With the ATB, the push boat is rigidly connected to the barge, so it follows every movement of the barge. The ITB has two vertical U-shaped guides (grooves) with teeth in the inside of the rear. Two large bolts, which are located in the push boat, are inserted into this and, depending on the loading status of the barge, inserted at a certain height. The bolts are toothed on two sides, smooth on the opposite sides and can be freely rotated in the boat, the push boat can move freely according to the wave movement, which leads to a smoother ride. When discharging or loading the barge, the bolts are rotated 90 degrees and are then freely movable in height.
The first ATB systems were developed by the Japanese Takuma Yamaguchi .
Web links
- List of ATBs with techn. Data accessed on April 28, 2017
- Information on OSG Vision / OSG 350 accessed on April 28, 2017 (English)
- towmasters.wordpress.com Technical data for an ATB, accessed on April 28, 2017 (English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ Archived copy ( memento of the original from March 26, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Integrated tug boat
- ^ Historic ATB Partnership between Taisei Engineering of Tokyo Japan and Bludworth Cook Marine of Houston Texas
