RPC12

Remorqueurs Portuaires et Côtiers de 12 tonnes de traction au point fixe (RPC12)
Le Four maneuvering in Brest harbour (10 November 2004)
Class overview
Name: RPC-12
Builders: Lorient Naval Industries (LNI), SOCARENAM
Operators:  French Navy
Preceded by: Actif class, Acajou class, Aigrette class, Bonite class.
Subclasses: RPC12 type A, RPC12 type B, RP12[1]
Completed: 17
General characteristics
Type: harbour tugboat
Displacement: 220 tonnes (259 full load)[2]
Length: 25 metres[2]
Beam: 8.4 metres[2]
Height: 13.2 metres (6.9m with mast removed) [2]
Draught: 3.4 metres[2]
Propulsion:
  • Type A: 2 x SACM-Wärtsilä UD30 V12 M3D diesel engines (2 x 683 HP)
  • Type B: 2 x Baudouin 12P15 2S SKC diesel engines (2 x 660 HP) [2]
Speed: 11 knots[2]
Range: 800 nm at 10 knots[2]
Boats & landing
craft carried:		 1 Rigid-hulled inflatable boat[2]
Complement: 5 (harbour operations) to 8 (coastal operations)[2]
Sensors and
processing systems:
  • One navigation radar:
  • Type A: Decca RM170
  • A682 Rascas: Furuno
  • Others: Racal Decca Bridgemaster C181-4[2]

The RPC12 (Remorqueurs Portuaires et Côtiers de 12 tonnes de traction au point fixe, "Harbour and Coastal tugboat, 12-tonne bollard pull") is a type of harbour tugboat operated by the French Navy. They utilise Voith propulsion to develop a 12-tonne bollard pull.[1]

The RPC12 has been declined into three sub-types: the original version, called "Type A" (comprising Fréhel and Saire), was designed as a dual-purpose tugboat capable of supporting shipping operations both in harbours and off the coast. After the two first units, the design was simplified, while retaining most functionalities, to reduce cost, yielding the "Type B" (comprising Armen, La Houssaye, Kéréon, Sicié and Taunoa). The nine remaining units constitute the RP12 type, which is further simplified to operate only within harbours (comprising Lardier, Giens, Mengam, Balaguier, Taillat, Nividic, Port Cros, Le Four and Eckmühl). Because of these differing capabilities, the RPC12 of both types are classified "auxiliaries", with an "A"-prefixed pennant number, while the RP12 are considered "yard vessels", with the corresponding "Y"-prefixed pennant numbers.[1]

The latest in the series, Rascas, is an improved high-sea ship with better sonic isolation and air conditioning, or use in tropical waters,[1] and a different radar.[2]

Ships

Ship Pennant Builder Commissioned Home port Fate
Fréhel A675 Lorient Naval Industries (LNI) 23 May 1989 Cherbourg In active service
Saire A676 LNI 6 octobre 1989 Cherbourg In active service
Armen A676 LNI 6 décembre 1991 Brest In active service
La Houssaye A678 LNI 30 octobre 1992 Brest In active service
Kéréon A679 LNI 5 décembre 1992 Brest In active service
Sicié A680 LNI 6 octobre 1994 Lorient (until 1995), Toulon In active service
Taunoa A681 SOCARENAM 9 mars 1996 Brest In active service
Lardier Y638 SOCARENAM 12 avril 1995 Toulon In active service
Giens Y639 SOCARENAM 2 décembre 1994 Toulon In active service
Mengam Y640 SOCARENAM 6 octobre 1994 Brest In active service
Balaguier Y641 SOCARENAM 8 juillet 1995 Toulon In active service
Taillat Y642 SOCARENAM 18 octobre 1995 Toulon In active service
Nividic Y643 SOCARENAM 13 décembre 1996 Brest In active service
Port Cros Y649 SOCARENAM 21 juin 1997 Toulon In active service
Le Four Y647 SOCARENAM 13 mars 1998 Brest In active service
Eckmühl Y646 SOCARENAM In active service
Rascas A682 SOCARENAM 22 novembre 2003 Toulon In active service

External Links/Sources

Wikimedia Commons has media related to RPC12 type tugboats.
  1. 1 2 3 4 Remorqueurs type RPC12, Netmarine
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Remorqueur type RPC 12 : Caractéristiques principales, Netmarine
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