Towlines September 2010 – By Jack Gaston

Holland was built in Singapore in 1992 as the Montalvo, purchased by Muller of Terneuzen in 1995, and subsequently taken over by URS with other units of the Muller fleet by URS. Holland was a 29m vessel powered by Yanmar machinery rated at 2,500bhp. The tug sailed for Karlingrad in July with its name changed (marginally) to Olland.

KST BV of Rotterdam, the shipbuilding and trading associate of Kotug has delivered the new

Rotor Tugs Dorum and Midlum to Unterweser Reederei GmbH of Bremen. The 28m long type RT80-28 Rotortugs were built by ASL Shipyard Pte Ltd in Singapore. Both vessels are powered by three ABC 8DZC main engines of 1,766kW, each driving a Schottel SRP1215 propulsion unit with a controllable pitch propeller. This arrangement gives the tugs a bollard pull of over 90 tons ahead and astern, a maximum speed of 12 knots and a sidestepping speed of 7 knots.

Titan Salvage continues its global expansion with the recent addition of a new salvage base and depot in Australia. Located in Cairns, Queensland, the facility is strategically located to respond to marine and environmental disasters threatening the Great Barrier Reef and other marine casualties throughout the Australasia and South West Pacific regions. Titan has partnered exclusively with Perrott Salvage of Cairns, a locally based salvage operator, who will serve as Titan’s regional representative. The new Australian company will operate under the name Titan Maritime (Australia) Pty Ltd. Titan also operates a fully staffed and equipped salvage facility in nearby Singapore.

A contract to build two tugs incorporating the unique ‘Carrousel’ towing gear concept has been cancelled. The tugs were ordered by Multraship Towage & Salvage of Terneuzen, with the involvement their associate company Novatug BV, in July 2006 from the Malaysian shipbuilder Nautica Nova Shipbuilding & Engineering. Although much of the Carrousel structure was delivered to the yard, progress was slow and delivery dates continued to slip. At a meeting recently Kees Muller of Multraship, who backed the concept and the very successful demonstration vessel Multratug 12, told Maritime Journal that, with great regret the contract had to be terminated due to the increasing delays.