Posted on June 3, 2021
Shipyards are continuing to experience busy times with nine tug deliveries to report along with vessel order news held over from last month.
Antwerp Port Authority is in the process of optimising its 32 strong support vessel fleet reducing their environmental impact, and talk initially was of one, possibly two new Tier III compliant tugs for the port. Three Damen RSD 2513 tugs, 50, 51 and 52 have now joined Antwerp’s fleet marking significant investment in shiphandling tug services plus further endorsement of Damen’s ‘next generation’ RSD 2513 tug. The first vessel, 50 was the second of class built as Bis Viridis and recently operating for Multraship as Multratug 9 with 51 and 52 being newbuildings from Damen’s Galati shipyard.
The Multi Cat tug/workboat range is a different type of vessel from Damen’s catalogue and when Leask Marine required such a vessel quickly, Damen was natural choice and just six weeks after ordering, the Multi Cat 2712 C-Force was delivered to the Orkney-based fleet, joining the earlier delivered Multi Cat 2409 C-Salvor. Modifications for Leask Marine included four-point mooring system and space for desks and computers for clients’ use in the wheelhouse.
It has been a busy period for Turkey’s Sanmar Shipyards with delivery of Selene to Finland-based Alfons Håkans marking a notable item of news. It is the first of two ‘unique high-performance’ icebreaking tugs and first example of Robert Allan’s TundRA 3200 class with a Caterpillar/Kongsberg main engine and Z-drive combination delivering a bollard pull in excess of 65t. Selene is Sanmar’s first venture into custom-built heavy icebreaking tugs and its duties include escort, ship-assist, icebreaking, open sea towing, salvage assistance, oil spill recovery and small cargo transfer including 20ft containers.
MJ recently reported delivery of Seaspan Raptor (ex Bogacay VIII), the first of two Sanmar-built RAmparts 2400SX tugs to Seaspan of Canada and at the time of writing the second example Seaspan Harrier (ex Bogacay XI) is in the Panama Canal region on its delivery voyage from Turkey to Canada.
Targe Towing operates three Sanmar-built RAmparts 2400SX tugs and the Scottish-based operator has returned to the Turkish yard for a pair of line-handling pusher tugs. Gannet and Cormorant are examples of Robert Allan’s RAmbler 1200 design, the 7tbp pair carrying out various roles at Hound Point oil export terminal on the Firth of Forth. Final delivery to report from Sanmar sees the RAmparts 2400SX tug Albatros joining SAAM Towage’s fleet operating a new service from Port of Callao, Peru. The 24m, 70tbp technologically advanced tug is powered by 2,100kW main engines.
Turning to orders and staying with Sanmar, Pakistan’s Port Qasim has ordered four RAstar 3200SX Kocacay class tugs along with two pilot boats. Three of the LNG-compatible, sponsoned hull form escort rated tugs will provide a bollard pull of 75t, the fourth a more powerful version of 85t and they will follow the first two in this notable new series from Sanmar Thor of Scapa and Odin of Scapa for Orkney Islands Council. Another order due for imminent delivery is a slightly smaller, 82tbp RAstar 2800, Sanmar Terminal class tug (built as Sanmar Terminal XXIX) for Rimorchiatori Napoletani of Italy.
Damen’s global reach is illustrated with the order for an ATD Tug 2412 tractor tug for South Port New Zealand, the type selected for its ability to undertake indirect towage with the owner’s aim of increasing safety margins handling large vessels. The stock vessel is being completed at Damen’s Song Cam facility in Vietnam with delivery scheduled for Q3 2021. Covid restrictions meant the client was unable to visit and supervise construction at the yard as per normal but were able to visit and inspect other Damen-built tugs in New Zealand.
Looking beyond Europe orders of note will see an unspecified number of RAL-designed 70tbp, ElectRA 2800 battery-electric harbour tugs built for the LNG Canada project involving working with local First Nations and companies including a ‘unique partnership’ between the Haisla Nation and Seaspan.
Finally and also worthy of note, PaxOcean Group affiliate PT Graha Trisaka Industri of Indonesia has awarded a design contract to RAL for a RAmparts 3200W ASD and a TRAktor 3200V tug to be operated by Taiwan Navigation Co Ltd under long-term charter to CPS Corporation and operating at Taiwan’s Taoyuan LNG Terminal.
