Posted on May 4, 2021
Port of Rotterdam Authority has sold its last remaining icebreaker tug to contractor Zijsling en Zonen BV in Jutrijp, Friesland.
RPA 20 was one of four similar icebreakers built by Hendriks Shipbuilding in the 1960s and part of PRA’s fleet of port service vessels, the distinctive profiles of most indicating their towing capabilities as part of their emergency response role. As well as a reinforced bow, RPA 20 was ballasted at the stern to increase propeller immersion allowing the bow to rise over the ice. It was last in action as an icebreaker in 2012 making the Delfshavense Schie navigable for inland shipping.
Marlink subsidiary Telemar has signed a service contract with Fairplay Towage to provide bridge maintenance services on 50 of the company’s tugs in Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium.
Critical bridge navigation equipment maintenance will be consolidated to one provider including regulatory compliance ‘to agreed timeframes rather than carried out on an ad hoc basis.’ The offshore tugs Nordic and Baltic are included with access to a remote 24/7 hotline intended to align and minimise annual tasks for each vessel to one service call per year.
Prompted by Covid-19 travel restrictions, Kotug has started using its AR glasses, designated the ‘Kotug Eye’ to provide on-site support by engineers.
Kotug was already at an advanced stage with its AR glasses but the pandemic has speeded up developments. The hands-free tool guides crew in complex tasks guided by experts ashore who can log in from anywhere and access real-time visual information to achieve problem resolution without visiting the vessel and Kotug states it will keep using the device post-Covid.
One of the towing world’s best-known restoration projects is the 1959-built tug Elbe, restored to its former glory and in full working condition by the Foundation Maritime Collection Rijnmond at Maasluis in the Netherlands.
Fotorondleiding.nl has news that those who cannot visit Maasluis and the Elbe in person can view the interior of the vessel thanks to Jaap Pameyer who has recorded a virtual visual tour. The high-quality tour involves 784 scans and takes the visitor through Elbe’s interior revealing the exquisite and loving attention volunteers have paid to restoring the vessel to its original condition and not visible from the exterior. The tour can be viewed at https://my.matterport.com/show/?m=hD7rqCy3qPC
