Posted on February 2, 2026
Boskalis carries out tandem tows dozens of times a year. This is a type of transport in which the cargo is towed by two powerful oceangoing tugs. Sometimes a third vessel joins, turning it into a triple tow to its final destination. But even that can be surpassed, and that is exactly what Boskalis recently did. With the BOKA Centre, BOKA Defender, BOKA Guard, and BOKA Striker, no fewer than four tugs were connected to the Scarborough Floating Production Unit (FPU). In addition, our BOKA Winger sailed alongside as an escort vessel during this “quadruple tow” to Western Australia.
Five vessels for a single cargo, isn’t that excessive? Not at all. Weighing 70,000 tonnes, this four-legged offshore giant is a complex structure to transport. High bollard pull is essential, as are excellent communication and navigational skills on the part of the captains and crews involved.
The destination is familiar territory for Boskalis. In recent years, we have carried out various activities for the extensive Scarborough project. Using our subsea rock installation vessels Seapiper and Seahorse, backhoe dredger Baldur, construction support vessel BOKA Tiamat and trailing suction hopper dredger Gateway, we have carried out a wide variety of activities for the installation of the gas pipeline. With the transport of the FPU, Boskalis once again demonstrates its capabilities as a versatile maritime service provider: delivering total solutions for complex (offshore) projects.
We thank the crews of all vessels involved for their effort during this groundbreaking towage operation to Australia, and we thank our client for their trust and pleasant collaboration.
