Additional orders may also arise as a result of Smit's vigorous efforts to pursue contracts for services with new terminal ventures around the world.

These heavy investments underline Smit's determination to grow the Harbour Towage and Terminal divisions, which generate predictable income and balance the inherent uncertainties of activities such as salvage. While Smit Harbour Towage is engaged in a fleet renewal programme, Smit Terminals already has 19 service and support contracts worldwide and continues to grow year by year. Each contract requires an average of six tugs.

In February of 2004 an order for three ASD 2810 tugs was placed with Damen Shipbuilders and the number increased to four later in the year. Three of the latter were earmarked for service with Smit Panama. The first, Smit Panama , was delivered by Damen's Galatz yard in Romania in mid-2004, followed by the first of the Dutch-built units, Smit Cristobal , in December of last year. The third, Smit Bilbao , has just joined the fleet following completion in Romania in March.

Smit Curacao , the fourth of the very compact 57 tonnes bollard pull tugs was handed over last month.

Also delivered in December 2004 was the Smit Mandji a twin-screw Damen ST 3509, a tug/supply vessel of 57 tonnes bollard pull now working offshore in Gabon.

The 35.26m long vessel was developed from the established Damen Stan Tug design and is equipped to provide ship assistance at offshore moorings, anchorhandling, supply work and deep-sea towing. Two Caterpillar 3516B TA/A main engines provide a total of 3,959bhp to drive a pair of Promarin fixed pitch propellers rotating within fixed Van der Giessen nozzles. A DMT combined anchor-handling and towing winch is provided along with a stern roller and Karmoy line handling equipment.

In January two Damen ASD 3110 class units were ordered for service in Nigeria. Those vessels will be almost identical in design to a large series of tanker handling vessels delivered to Smit in 1999.

An order was also placed in January with IHC Holland Delta for three 25 tonnes bollard pull multipurpose pusher tugs scheduled for delivery in early 2006 (see - MJ February 2005).

With a length of 25.65m the tugs are based on a modular design, for maximum flexibility across a wide range of roles, including support for marine construction, dredging, diving and oil spill response. Five further tugs of this class may be ordered over the next five years.

The Singapore shipyard of Keppel SingMarine has three anchor-handling tug supply vessels, under construction for Smit, two units of 70 tonnes bollard pull and one of 120 tonnes. The first of the AHTSVs will be delivered in August of this year, followed by a sister-ship in November and the third unit at the end of January 2006.

All three will be built to the same basic design and have a similar performance but will be fitted out for different functions.

One will be completed as a 'Diving Support Vessel and Anchor-handling tug' for use in the North Sea and the other an 'Anchor Handling Tug Supply Vessel' for anchor handling, supply, salvage and project support in Southeast Asia and West Africa. Both vessels will have a bollard pull of 70 tonnes.

A third vessel will be a more powerful anchor-handler.

Use of the same basic design represents a new standardisation policy initiated by Smit. The ships under construction will be twin-screw vessels of 70.9m in length and 16.0m beam with a draft of 5.6m and deck area of 450m 2. Bow and stern thrusters will be installed, Dynamic Positioning to DP 2 standards, and fire-fighting equipment to comply with FiFi 1.