Here is the POSH anchor-handler Salvigilant connecting up a tow in Korea recently. The ship was built in 2007 in Japan and has two Wartsila engines developing 12,000 which give it a bollard pull of 150 tons. It has a double drum winch with both drums appearing to be set up for towing. This can be seen by the fact that both wires are provided with multiple wire protectors, which are plastic sheaves on the wires, there to protect the wire at the point where it rests on the stern of the ship. There are a large number of them on each wire, indicating that they have recently been installed, probably when the tow wires have been renewed.

Those of us who follow towing incidents often feel that the losses of tows can be attributed to the failure to protect the wire at the stern of the ship, and if you don't have wire protectors it is a good idea to extend the wire a bit very hour, known as "freshening the nip".

Photo by Kenny Polson the other day, and posted her on 4th May 2017.