The sale of Red Funnel Tugs Ltd of Southampton to Adsteam Marine (UK) Ltd was finally confirmed on the 28 March. An existing fleet of three tugs Redbridge, Sir Bevios and Hamtun, and some 30 seagoing and shore staff will now become fully integrated into the Adsteam Towage Ltd of Southampton.

Prior to the delivery of a new tug bearing the same name, Holyhead Towing Company Ltd sold the tug/ workboat Afon Cefni in early March. A vessel of 19.5m and 760bhp, built by McTay Marine in 1993, the tug was originally owned by OIL Limited and employed at an oil terminal in Yemen.

Wijsmuller Marine has purchased the vessel and will return it to Yemen to work in the same port, bearing the new name Al Risha.

The owner/master of the British registered tug St Mawes was fined a total of £19,500 at a hearing at Horseferry Road Magistrates Court, London on 25 March. District Judge Tain found Alistair Anderson of Nine Elms guilty of not being qualified to act as Master, failing to place a qualified engineer on board the vessel, failing to have the proper charts and publications on board, failing to have a serviceable compass, failing to have a proper rescue boat on board and entering a compulsory pilotage area at Exmouth without a pilot embarked. The St Mawes was detained in Exmouth following an incident on 17 September 2001 whilst towing the hulk of a large fishing vessel.

Harwich Harbour Commissioners sold their 15.93m tug/workboat Curlew to Taylor & Taylor of Troon early this year. The 730bhp vessel has been bareboat chartered back to Harwich pending the delivery of a new multi-purpose work vessel in the Spring.