During his introduction of the vessel, managing director David Offin explained that, 'In order to afford modern ship handling tugs within the Cromarty Firth we were forced to seek additional work around the UK and into Europe. That means more flexible and powerful tugs.

Our policy has allowed us to meet the needs of Talisman at the Nigg Oil Terminal and of the Port Authority and ships' agencies generally'.

Other marine services provided locally are dredging, bunkering and supporting the Cromarty Firth Port Authority's Port Pollution Plan.

Costing in excess of £2m, Kinnaird demonstrates JP Knight Caledonian's belief in the Cromarty Firth as a maritime base, indeed further investment plans are well advanced thanks to the long term support and assistance of Clydesdale Bank plc. As part of the 113 year old family owned JP Knight Group, Caledonian promotes the Group's long term vision of employment.

The average length of service amongst the crew is thirteen years and three crew members have been with the company for over a quarter of a century.

Kinnaird is a modern shiphandling and coastal tug built in Japan by the Kanagawa Dockyard Company Ltd in 2003 as the Iwaki Maru . The vessel is an azimuthing stern drive tug of 32.05m in length overall, with a breadth of 9.80m and draft of 3.10m with a typical Japanese configuration. Two Niigata 6L28HX main engines generate a total of 4,200bhp at a rated MCR of 750rpm, to power a pair of Niigata ZP-31 propulsion units. Electrical power for the shipboard systems is supplied by two main auxiliary generators, driven by 157bhp Yanmar 4HAL2-TN1 diesels and a smaller harbour set powered by a 62bhp Yanmar 4CHL-TN engine.

The tug is equipped for fire-fighting with two remotely operated monitors each delivering 4000 litres/min, one on the wheelhouse roof and the other on the lattice mast. Both monitors are supplied with water/foam by a Daiichi Scisaku CP200-50 fire pump coupled to a 375bhp Nissan Diesel Motor RD 10 T04 engine.

Kinnaird was purchased in May of this year and left Yokohama under her own power for the UK with a crew from Dutch ship delivery company Redwise.

The tug arrived at Buckie in Scotland in mid July to have work carried out to bring her up to the required standards for British registry and Lloyds class.

That work was completed early in August.