Braking while steering
Apply effective braking force while retaining directional control of the assisted vessel.
Operational control
Brake and steer the biggest ships
The Carrousel Rave Tug enables high-precision braking and steering of large vessels in confined waters, without capsize risk from transverse towline forces.
- Tow rotation
- 360°
- Static bollard pull
- 70 t
- Dynamic bollard pull
- 180 t
- Top speed
- 14.1 kn
Swipe for more performance figures
Core principle
How the Carrousel system works
The towing point rotates freely
On a conventional tug, a transverse pull on the towline can capsize the vessel, a failure mode known as girting. The CRT places its towing point on a freely rotating steel ring around the hull.
Because the ring turns to follow the line, towline force remains aligned with the tug. This removes the core capsize mechanism and lets the crew maintain braking and steering control under load.
- Force stays aligned. The ring follows the towline through 360°.
- No capsize by towline force. Girting is engineered out.
- Hydrodynamic lift. Water flow contributes to the tug's braking force.
Capabilities
Maneuvers at a glance
Bow spring control
Guide large ships through channels and toward berths with responsive bow-side control.
Confined water precision
Operate in tight port approaches where reaction time and predictability are critical.
Capsize-safe tow geometry
The rotating tow point keeps towline force aligned and removes the core capsize mechanism.
Use cases
Operational scenarios
Narrow channel transit
Challenge
Limited space and delayed response reduce the available control margin.
CRT response
Immediate steering and braking from the bow spring position.
Outcome
More controlled ship handling through the channel.
Berthing large vessels
Challenge
Towage assistance can lose effectiveness during final alignment.
CRT response
Stable tow geometry supports precise heading correction under load.
Outcome
Predictable alignment close to the berth.
High-momentum ship handling
Challenge
Large vessel inertia demands sustained and controllable force.
CRT response
Hydrodynamic lift and controlled line force provide braking authority.
Outcome
Greater control during critical decision windows.
Technical library
See the maneuvers in motion
Watch how rotating tow geometry changes the way the CRT brakes and steers large ships.
Bow spring maneuver
The CRT brakes and steers from the vessel's bow, combining a fast response with controlled towline force.
Aft tug braking
The CRT uses water flow and stable tow geometry to provide effective braking while being towed by the assisted ship.
Manned-model training
Experience CRT handling at model scale
Port Revel in France includes a 1:25-scale Carrousel Rave Tug in its fleet for manned-model ship-handling training. The model has been available since 2015.
Maritime pilots work aboard scale ship models while a professional tug master operates the radio-controlled CRT model at the pilot's orders. This brings tow geometry, hydrodynamic effects and ship-tug coordination into a physical training environment.
Explore manned-model training Port Revel is an independent training centre and manages its own courses and availability.- 1:25
- Common scale for the ship and tug models
- 2015
- Carrousel Rave Tug model introduced
- Pilot to tug master
- The tug responds to the pilot's operational instructions
Full-mission simulation
Prepare crews and projects before live execution
At the Novatug and Multraship simulator and training centre in Terneuzen, a high-fidelity digital model of the CRT enables masters, towmasters and crews to rehearse specialised manoeuvring, towage and vessel-handling scenarios.
The Wärtsilä-based suite combines full-mission simulation, mixed reality, project simulation and customised vessel models. Multiple participants can train together in one shared scenario, coordinating several vessels in real time.
Explore training and simulation- High-fidelity CRT model Tailored manoeuvring, towage and vessel-handling scenarios.
- Shared operations Multiple participants and vessels coordinate in real time.
- Experienced trainers Training is supported by active or recently active vessel captains.
- External access Available for crew training, project simulation, port assessments and research.
Interactive simulation
Experience the maneuvering logic
Use the demonstration to explore how force direction affects vessel control and how the CRT can reposition around the tow.
This simplified demonstration works best on desktop.
From concept to operations
See what this control can mean for your port
Talk with Novatug about ship handling, operational scenarios, and the Carrousel Rave Tug.