The BTA Towage Industry Award acknowledges individuals, organisations or companies whose role in the industry has been of major positive significance to its members. Robin Middleton has earned a lasting reputation in the towage industry through his ability to effectively harness the resources of BTA members, often under intense public scrutiny. At the same event Steve Jellis was elected president of the BTA and Richard Knight chairman.

Iskes Towing & Salvage BV, based at IJmuiden in the Netherlands, has ordered a RAmparts 3200/65 class ASD tug from Dearsan in Turkey. The 65 tons bollard pull tug will become part of the Iskes fleet providing towage and salvage services in the Amsterdam/IJmuiden and North Sea areas. The Robert Allen designed vessel will have an overall length of 32m, a beam of 11.60m and will be powered by two ABC 8DZC main engines producing a total of 5,285bhp to power Schottel SRP 1515CP propulsion units.

Dan Tug A/S of Fredericia is the name of a newly formed Danish towing company set up with the purchase of two tugs from the towing company Jens Alfastsen of Horsens. The 40 tons bollard pull ‘Susanne A’ has been taken over at the homeport of Horsens and will continue on time charter in the Mediterranean. The other vessel is the small tug ‘Sanne A’ of 7 tons bollard pull. The tug, built in 1908, is one of the oldest to operate under the Danish flag and has been renamed ‘Mads’ for operation in local waters.

The well known Falmouth harbour tug ‘St Piran’ has been sold to Abacus Maritime (Malta ) Ltd. Built in1960 by Henry Scarr Ltd as ‘Dalegarth’, one of a new generation of tanker handling tugs for Milford Haven. The single screw tug is 39.07m in length and powered by a British Polar diesel of 1,300bhp, giving the vessel a bollard pull of 22 tons and maximum speed of 11 knots.