Iskes expansion continues with Damen order

Iskes Towage & Salvage has been a source of interesting news including new tugs and expansion of late, the Ijmuiden-based maritime service provider being a regular customer of Damen with 11 of its 20 owned and operated tugs coming from the Netherlands-based shipbuilder. The latest item of news was revealed at ITS 2018 in Marseille with the contract signing for two ASD Tug 2312s from the new range.

The characteristics of the new ASD Tug 2312 are described elsewhere including its layout configured to comply with news stability regulations initiated as Harmonised Class rules for adaptation in January 2020, measures specifically designed to enhance safety for tug crews.

The new vessels are in anticipation of a new port contract that Iskes expect to start in late 2019, early 2020. The choice of the ASD 2312 was based on its compact design and high level of specification along with its ‘attractive pricing’. Tier III emissions compliance is also perhaps an interesting indication of how the focus of attention on the environmental and emissions aspect of harbour tug operation can be expected to have an increasing influence on tugs owners and operators’ selection of vessels.

Peter Rondhuis and Dirk Martens of Iskes Towage & Salvage said: “Through our close cooperation with Damen we have together blended our own needs and objectives with their knowledge and experience of both worlds into this new design. The result is perfect for our needs and we very much look forward to the first delivery!”

Mijndert Wiesenekker, sales director Benelux for Damen, added: “After a year of fine-tuning this new standard design we are delighted that Iskes has become the first operator of the Damen ASD 2312.”

Iskes’ Damen-built fleet includes various vessel from its ASD and Shoalbuster range and as is typical with many family-owned tug owners has not shied away from exploring the latest technologies having previously chartered two Damen Hybrid tugs. Of more recent interest is the addition of the EDDY 30-65 tug Atlas (ex Eddy 1) to its fleet joining the smaller EDDY-class tug Telstar.