TOWLINES

While not the largest of tug operators, Poole-based Griffin Towage’s tugs have been regular sights throughout Europe for over 20 years and following a spell on the slipway at Ramsgate the newly renamed vessel was moved to Poole for integration into its new owner’s fleet. The 1976 Dutch-built, 35tbp GT Victory was originally owned by Norwegian principals before joining MTS Group in 2011 and will be seen as a significant addition to Griffin’s fleet.

Ibercisa Deck Machinery has been selected to provide towing equipment for the two RAstar 2900SX tugs in build at Sanmar for Directorate General of Coastal Safety in Turkey.

The machinery will fulfil escort and port towage activities for the tugs which are based on four similar Sanmar-built vessels for Svitzer operating at the Tanger Med 2 terminal in Morocco: these 90tbp tugs also have Ibercisa deck machinery. The equipment for the Turkish order has been adapted to meet specific demands of Turkish Coast Guard Command and is due for delivery to Sanmar early in 2021.

While not directly tug related, tug and waste barge combinations are an integral part of life on London’s river Thames and Cory Riverside Energy has reaffirmed its commitment to this service with an order for 21 barges over a seven-year period.

The barges, to be built by A&P Tyne will replace nearly half of the existing 50-strong fleet replacing the existing four types of barge with two types, 20 and 30 box, each transporting between 270 and 400 tonnes equating to around a million tonnes of waste removing 100,000 truck journeys from London’s roads annually.

Ports of Auckland’s new full-size electric shiphandling tug will doubtless be one of the most interesting deliveries for 2021 and it now has a name – Sparky.

The people of New Zealand were asked to come up with a name and Sparky won by a long way with nearly half of the over 8,000 who voted suggesting the name. The RSD-E Tug 2513 marque is being built in Vietnam by Damen Shipyards with the keel-laying ceremony taking place recently including the welding of two New Zealand 20 cent-pieces into the keel, delivery is due late next year.

By Peter Barker