TOWLINES

.The hull of the new anchorhandling tug Magnus has been launched at the yard of Mutzelfeldtwerft, Cuxhaven for Harms Offshore Gmbh of Hamburg. Magnus is the first of two vessels of the same type and will be followed byTaurus. Both of the 19,000bhp twin screw tugs will be similar to the 120 tons bollard pull Janus delivered last year but will be larger and more powerful to achieve a predicted bollard pull of 180 tons. Magnus and Taurus are due for delivery later this year.

.The British Tugowners Association elected a new Chairman at its Annual Conference on 4-5 May in Maidstone, Kent. Mike Tyrrell, Managing Director of Serco Denholm, will be taking over the reins for the next year.

He replaces Steven Jellis of Svitzer-Wijsmuller. At the same meeting, Stephen Eastwood, Chief Executive Europe of Adsteam Marine was elected Vice-Chairman. Following his election, Mike Tyrrell said, ‘There are a number of important issues and initiatives that we will be progressing over the next year and it is vital to ensure that the interests of British tugowners are highlighted to Government statutory bodies and other appropriate organisations.’

.The tug fleet operating at the Shetlands, Sullom Voe oil terminal are to loose their distinctive red livery in favour of their new owner’s colour scheme of blue hulls and white superstructure. Shetland Towage, operators of the five tug fleet, was wholly owned by the Shetland Charitable Trust but is now fully integrated in the Shetland Islands Council’s ports and harbour organisation following a decision made earlier this year.

It is understood that repainting will be carried out during routine dry-docking.