The PCTC (Pure Car and Truck Carrier) MV Tancred is one of three vessels built by Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Japan and she was delivered in April 1987. The vessel is specially suited for cars and trucks but she has also flexibility to carry other project cargo. MV Tancred has a total capacity of 5930 cars (RT43) or 552 trucks. Her sisterships are MV Tai Shan and MV Takara. The ship is built to the class of DNV (Det Norske Veritas) with the following designations DNV +1A1, Car Carrier
MCDK, PET EO.
Deck and Ramp System:
Heavy units are loaded on the strengthened decks 5, 9 and 11, which can carry loads of 1 ton/m and deck no. 7 which are able to carry loads of 2 tons/m. The other decks are designed for car stowage and allow loads from 0.18 ton/m^2 to 0.4 ton/m. For increased flexibility deck no. 4, 8, 10 and 6 are divided into hoistable sections.
The vessel is fitted with three loading and discharging ramps, one stern quarter ramp and one midship ramp. The stern ramp has a width of 7 m and is arranged with a 40-degree angle from centre line to enable loading/discharging of long vehicles. Maximum capacity of the ramp is 100 tons and the maximum axle load is 25 tons. There are two midship
ramps one on port side and one on starboard side. Both ramps are arranged with a 90-degree angle from the centre line and a ramp width of 5 m. The maximum capacity is 16 tons and 8 tons axle load. Deck 7 is the entrance deck for both ramps. This arrangement with one stern quarter ramp and two midship ramps ensures good flexibility in loading and discharging operation.
Anchoring/Winches:
The deck machinery consists of four mooring winches located at the forecastle and aft mooring deck. All winches are of type electro-hydraulic 2x15tx15m/min. with two hawser drums and one warping drum. In addition there are two sets of electrohydraulic anchor winches located at the forecastle deck, one port and one starboard.
There is one 4 tons electro-pneumatic crane located at upper deck by the accommodation on the starboard side used for bringing onboard provision and spare parts. Also, one 0.5 ton pneumatic crane is located on upper deck at the port side.
Ventilation:
Fans evenly distributed throughout the vessel on upper deck create good ventilation during loading/discharging. All cargo holds can be ventilated with over 20 air changes an hour.
Machinery:
The vessel is equipped with propulsion machinery type Sulzer 7RTA58 with an output of 8750 kW at 110 rpm. The engine is directly reversible and attached to an aerofoil 5 blade fixed propeller with diameter 5.8 meter and fitted with remote control both from the bridge and control room. Also, for increased manuvering abilities one CPP bow thruster with effect 1170 kW is installed. The vessel is equipped with a double plated
semi balanced spade rudder to assist in controlling the lateral movements of the stern. For electrical power supply there are three Daihatsu Diesel 6DL-24 generators with an output of 780 kW each and one Taiyo electric alternator. To ensure sufficient power in emergency
situations one Mitsu-Deutz diesel generator is installed.
The navigational system:
DGPS Navigator Leica MK10 – 2 nos.
Electronic Chart ECDIS 900 – 1 no.
3 cms Raytheon Radar/ARPA M34 – 1 no.
10 cms Raytheon Radar/ARPA M34 – 1no.
Navtex 2 Lokata – 1 no.
Weather facsimile receiver FAX 208 Mark 2 , FURUNO – 1 no.
Communication:
VHF radio , JRC – 1 no, ICOM – 1 no.
VHF radio with DSC controller, Skanti – 2 nos.
Skanti Combridge MF/HF DSC, HF/SSB/Telex – 1 no.
Inmarsat C , Skanti – 1 no.
Inmarsat B, JRC – 1 no.
OKI fax machine – 1 no.
Interior:
All cabins are located on upper deck and the vessel is equipped with gym and separate TV-room for officers and crew to provide for the possibility of relaxing activities. Pilot cabin is placed on bridge deck, canal transit cabin and spare cabin on the upper deck for easy access to the bridge.
Security arrangements:
For fire fighting, the ship is fitted with both a 30 ton permanent installed low pressure CO2 fire extinguishing system and a number of portable CO2, dry powder and foam fire extinguishers. The vessel has 2 open life boats, 1 motor life boat and 1 sail life boat with a capacity of 30 persons each. In addition there are two inflatable life rafts with carrying capacity 20 persons each and 1 carrying 6 persons. There are 30 Immersion suits
onboard, 47 life jacket for adults and 3 for children, 3 inflatable work west's together with a number of flares, mob buoys, life buoys and smoke signals.