Rules I Ship Technology

Part 1 Seagoing Ships

Chapter 1 Hull Structures

Section 25 Tugs

x The section modulus of stiffeners is to be increased by 50 % above the values as required in Section
16, E.2.2.

C.7 Foundations of towing gear

C.7.1 The substructure of the towing hook attachment and the foundations of the towing winch, and
of any guiding elements such as towing posts or fairleads, where provided, are to be thoroughly con-
nected to the ship's structure, considering all possible directions of the towrope, see D.3.5.

C.7.2 The stresses in the foundations and fastening elements are not to exceed the permissible
stresses shown in Table 25.2, assuming a load equal to the test load of the towing hook in case of hook
arrangements, and a load of the winch holding capacity in case of towing winches, see also D.3.5 and
D.5.3.

D Towing Gear / Towing Arrangement

D.1 General design requirements

D.1.1 The towing gear is to be arranged in such a way as to minimise the danger of capsizing; the
towing hook / working point of the towing force is to be placed as low as practicable, see G .

D.1.2 With direct-pull (hook-towrope), the towing hook and its radial gear are to be designed such as
to permit adjusting to any foreseeable towrope direction.

D.1.3 The attachment point of the towrope is to be arranged closely behind the centre of buoyancy.

D.1.4 On tugs equipped with a towing winch, the arrangement of the equipment is to be such that
the towrope is led to the winch drum in a controlled manner under all foreseeable conditions (directions of
the towrope).

D.1.5 Towrope protection sleeves or other adequate means are to be provided to prevent the di-
rectly pulled towropes from being damaged by chafing / abrasion.

D.2 Definition of loads

D.2.1 The design force T corresponds to the towrope pull (or the bollard pull, if the towrope pull is
not defined) stipulated by the owner. The design force may be verified by a bollard pull test, see the GL
Guidelines for Ocean Towage (VI-11-1).

D.2.2 The test force PL is used for dimensioning as well as for testing the towing hook and con-
nected elements. The test force is related to the design force as shown in Table 25.1.

Table 25.1 Design force T and test force PL

Design force T Test force PL

[kN] [kN]

T ” 500 2.00 ǜ T

500 < T ” 1 500 T + 500

1 500 < T 1.33 ǜ T

D.2.3 The minimum breaking force of the towrope is based on the design force, see D.4.3.

Edition 2013 Germanischer Lloyd Page 25–3

Rules I Ship Technology
Part 1 Seagoing Ships
Chapter 1 Hull Structures

Section 25 Tugs

D.2.4 The winch holding capacity is to be based on the minimum breaking force, see D.5.3, the
rated winch force is the hauling capacity of the winch drive when winding up the towrope, see D.6.1.3.3.

D.2.5 For forces at the towing hook foundation see D.3.5.4.

D.3 Towing hook and slip device

D.3.1 The towing hook is to be fitted with an adequate device guaranteeing slipping (i.e., quick re-
lease) of the towrope in case of an emergency. Slipping must to be possible from the bridge as well as
from at least one other place in the vicinity of the hook itself, from where in both cases the hook can be
easily seen.

D.3.2 The towing hook has to be equipped with a mechanical, hydraulic or pneumatic slip device.
The slip device is to be designed such as to guarantee that unintentional slipping is avoided.

D.3.3 A mechanical slip device is to be designed such that the required release force under test
force PL does not exceed neither 150 N at the towing hook nor 250 N when activating the device on the
bridge. In case of a mechanical slip device, the releasing rope is to be guided adequately over sheaves. If
necessary, slipping should be possible by downward pulling, using the whole body weight.

D.3.4 Where a pneumatic or hydraulic slip device is used, a mechanical slip device has to be pro-
vided additionally.

D.3.5 Dimensioning of towing hook and towing gear

D.3.5.1 The dimensioning of the towing gear is based on the test force PL, see D.2.2.

D.3.5.2 The towing hook, the towing hook foundation, the corresponding substructures and the slip
device are to be designed for the following directions of the towrope:
x For a test force PL ” 500 kN:
ƕ in the horizontal plane, directions from abeam over astern to abeam
ƕ in the vertical plane, from horizontal to 60 ° upwards
x For a test force PL > 500 kN:
ƕ in the horizontal plane, as above
ƕ in the vertical plane, from horizontal to 45 ° upwards

D.3.5.3 Assuming the test force PL acting in any of the directions described in D.3.5.2, the permissible
stresses in the towing equipment elements defined above are not to exceed the values shown in Table
25.2.

D.3.5.4 For the towing hook foundation it has to be additionally proven that the permissible stresses
given in Table 25.2 are not exceeded assuming a load equal to the minimum breaking force Fmin of the
towrope.

Table 25.2 Permissible stresses

Type of stress Permissible stress

Axial and bending tension and axial and bending compression ı = 0.83 ǜ ReH
with box type girders and tubes
Axial and bending compression with girders of open cross sec- ı = 0.72 ǜ ReH
tions or with girders consisting of several members

Shear IJ = 0.48 ǜ ReH

Equivalent stress ıv = 0.85 ǜ ReH

Edition 2013 Germanischer Lloyd Page 25–4