Presentation 1

Bollard Pull Test
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Ship Terminology
AFT FORWARD
STERN FULL LADEN WATER LEVEL BOW /

/AFTT FORE MIN.
MID-SHIP FREEBOARD MOULDED
DEPTH
MAX. KEEL
LENGTH BETWEEN PERPS
TRIM DRAFT RISE OF
OVERALL LENGTH BEAM FLOOR
PORT SIDE
ASTERN BRIDGE AHEAD
STARBOARD SIDE
Towing : Introduction
Towing Operation:
• Pulling of a vessel (Tow) using another vessel (usually a Tug)
• Tow can be a barge, ship or an offshore structure
Towing Force:
• Bigger vessels require higher towing force
• Harsher the environment  More towing force required
• The efficiency of the tug deployed for towing
Selection of Tug
Selecting and deploying tugs for towing operations:

• How big a tug should I select for safely towing the vessel?
• How much maximum speed will I be able to make with the
tug(s) I selected?
Towing
Towing a Barge
Construction of a Tug
Environmental Forces
Environmental Forces to overcome

• Wind force
• Acts on the part of the vessel above waterline and exposed to wind
• Depend on the wind speed
• Current force
• Acts on the underwater portion of the vessel
• Depend on the current speed
• Wave forces
• Add to the resistance force on the vessel
• Depend on the (significant) height of waves.
Standard Environmental Conditions
For Bollard Pull Calculations:

Environment Condition Open Ocean Tows Benign Weather Tows
Wind Speed 20 m/s (@ 40 knots) 15 m/s (@ 30 knots)
Current speed 0.5 m/s(@ 1 knot) 0.5 m/s(@ 1 knot)
Significant Wave Height 5m 2m
Calculating Wind force
Wind Force = ½ x air density x (wind speed)2 x

Transverse Windage Area
• Wind-exposed transverse sectional area of the vessel
• Area contributed by the part of the vessel’s hull above water + Area
contributed by Cargo, Deck structures and Accommodation
• The area contributed by the hull can be obtained from the mid-ship
section dimensions/drawing
• The area contributed by above-deck items can be calculated as the area
of the silhouette of the above deck items
• Cargo height coefficient and shape coefficient may be incorporated
Coefficients for Calculation of Cargo Area
Calculating Current force
Calm Water Resistance

• Resistance experienced by ship when moving in water
without waves
• Has many components, and is a complicated calculation
• Empirical methods are utilized
Resistance due to Current
• Equivalent to the resistance which the vessel will experience
in calm water when moving at the speed of the current.
Barges
• Current Force = ½ x water density x (wind speed)2 x
Underwater Transverse Section Area
Calculating Wave Resistance
Wave Drift Force

• Resistance to the vessel due to sea waves
• Depends on dimension and shape of vessel
• Approx. wave drift force at zero towing speed –
R = Reflection coefficient
= density of seawater, typically 1025 kg/m3
g = acceleration of gravity, 9.81 m/s2
= significant wave height, m
B = breadth of towed object
What is Bollard Pull
It is the tractive force of a tug, expressed in MT or kN

Not accurately determinable by mathematical
methods.
• Must be evaluated for each tug by a “Bollard Pull – Test”
Primarily dependent on the tug’s engine output
expressed in BHP, also some other factors, like:
• Propeller-type
• Kort nozzle (yes/no)
• Shape of the hulls submerged part
• Draft
• Trim
What is Bollard Pull
Other factors affecting the development of Bollard Pull

in a harmful way :
• Roughness of the underwater body of the tug (marine
fouling)
• Sea conditions
• Pitching,
• Rolling
• Heaving of the Tug
• High seawater temperature (cooling water problems)
Converting Engine BHP to Bollard Pull
Approximate conversion:
• Tug equipped with fixed pitch propeller: BHP x 0.9 x 1.10 /
100 = (t)
• Tug equipped with fixed pitch propeller and kort-nozzle: BHP
x 0.9 x 1.20 / 100 = (t)
• Tug equipped with controllable pitch propeller: BHP x 0.9 x
1.25 / 100 = (t)
• Tug equipped with controllable pitch propeller and kort-
nozzle : BHP x 0.9 x 1.40 / 100 = (t)
Site Requirements of Bollard Pull Test
Trial Site: NOT GOOD

POSITION
GOOD POSITION BEST POSITION
• No obstructions close to the Tug

• No piers, docks, jetties breakwater
• The best place for the bollard is on a
legged jetty
• Propeller wake to flow through/under the
jetty.
• If a solid pier is chosen the bollard BAD POSITION GOOD POSITION
should be located as to give a clear run

for the propeller wake
Water Depth:
• Water circulation:
• Build-up of water circulation due to propeller action has to be Avoided
• Water depth has to be as large as possible, not only below the tug but
also around it.
• Minimum required water depth (depth below the keel)
• Within a radius of 100 m from the tug
• dmin = k1*(k2*Pa - k3*Pb) + 3 [m], where
• k1 = 0.060 , k2 = 52.00, k3 = 46.26
• a = 0.60, b = 0.61
• P = Total Propulsive power in kW
Towline Length:
• Bollard pull trials are usually conducted in the confined
waters of a harbour basin.
• In order to avoid the influence of a solid pier the towline
should be as long as possible.
• Minimum towline length LT is given by –
• LT = k1 * Pa – k2 * Pb in m, where –
• k1 = 52.00 , k2 = 46.26,
• a = 0.60, b = 0.61
• P = Total Propulsive power in kW
• BP = k1*BPm
• BP = Sustained Bollard
Pull
• BPm = Measured
Sustained Bollard Pull
• K1 = Correction factor
• L = Towline length
used
• LT = Required
minimum towline
length
• d = Depth under keel
• dmin = required min.
depth under keel
Draft:
• The tug has to be loaded to its construction waterline in order
to ensure an adequate immersion of the propellers.
Trim:
• The tug should be trimmed on even keel or with a stern trim.
Wind Speed:
• The wind speed during the trials shall not exceed 5 m/s.
Current:
• The trials should be conducted in waters with no current,
wherever possible.
• The current must not exceed 1 knot
Trial Procedures
Preparations:
• Main engines have to be warmed up before starting a trial
• At least 10 minutes should be allowed for the water to settle
between subsequent tests
• The build-up of water circulation around the tug should be
monitored and must not exceed 0.5 m/s.
Trial Procedures
Dynamometer:
• Bollard pull should be measured using an electric / electronic
dynamometer
• Calibrated, preferably both before and after the trials.
• Maximum acceptable deviation within the measuring range is less than
±2%.
• The bollard pull should be continuously recorded by a data
logger / computer.
• Alternatively a graphic recorder may be used.
Trial Procedures
Towline Set-up:
• Bollard pull should be taken on the normal towing winch,
hook of the tug.
• The dynamometer should be connected between the bollard
and the towline ashore.
• The towline should not be allowed to touch the pier between
the dynamometer and the tug
• As the friction is prone to reduce the dynamometer readings.
• If this cannot be avoided, a roller under the towline should be utilized.
Trial Procedures
Communication:
• With the load cell ashore, communication between the tug
and the shore station has to be provided, either by mobile
phones or be VHF.
Steering during trial:
• Steering action during trial affects the bollard pull
• Should be kept to a minimum.
• The vessel should be allowed to seek its natural position
• If any violent yaw or steering motions occur during the trials
the test should be repeated.
Trial Procedures
Engine Power & Revolutions:

• To accurately determine the actual engine power in bollard
pull trials, the torque on the intermediate shaft, is measured
using a torsion meter.
• In many cases it is considered satisfactory to relate the
bollard pull to the engine revolutions.
Tugs available to Finolex
Tug M.V. Bhagwati M.V. Finoratna

Azimuth Stern Drive Azimuth Stern Drive
Propeller Type
(ASD) (ASD)
Kort Nozzle Yes Yes
All directional Yes Yes
Propulsion Force
Propeller Location Bottom Aft Bottom Mid-ship
Engines, HP 1500 x 2 1000 x 2
Bollard Pull, MT 30.5 23.0
Calculation of Bollard Pull Required
Simplest Formula for Bollard Pull:

• Engine BHP required = = 2778
• For maximum displacement, D = 20,000 MT with towing velocity V = 5
knot
• Obtain Bollard Pull in MT from Engine BHP
• Fixed pitch propeller: (freewheeling) BHP*0.9*1.1 / 100
• Fixed pitch propeller and kort-nozzle: BHP *0.9*1.2 / 100
• Controllable pitch propeller: (freewheeling) BHP *0.9*1.25 / 100
• Controllable pitch propeller and kort-nozzle : BHP * 0.9*1.4 / 100
Tug Repair at Dry Dock

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Bollard Pull Test

STERN FULL LADEN WATER LEVEL BOW /

ASTERN BRIDGE AHEAD

Selecting and deploying tugs for towing operations:

Environmental Forces to overcome

For Bollard Pull Calculations:

Wind Force = ½ x air density x (wind speed)2 x

Calm Water Resistance

Wave Drift Force

It is the tractive force of a tug, expressed in MT or kN

Other factors affecting the development of Bollard Pull

Trial Site: NOT GOOD

• No obstructions close to the Tug

should be located as to give a clear run

Engine Power & Revolutions:

Tug M.V. Bhagwati M.V. Finoratna

Simplest Formula for Bollard Pull:

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