Towlines MAR 11

They have a history dating back to 1918 and are well known for towage operations on the European waterways, particularly in the field of heavy lift transportation. Avra will make available tugs with greater bollard pull, commencing with the tug North (28 tons BP) and Compass (50 tons BP). The latter will operate under the Muller livery.

The new tug Coastal Vanguard, a Damen Shoalbuster 3209, is now in service with owners Coastal Shipping BV and under the management of Acta Marine BV both of Den Helder. Completed by Damen Shipyards, Hardinxveld, the vessel was formally christened in January at the Holland America terminal in Rotterdam. The 32.27m, shallow draft, tug is powered by two Caterpillar 3512B engines generating a total of 3,300 bhp to achieve a bollard pull of 48.2 tonnes and a maximum sped of 11.4 knots.

Cheoy Lee Shipyards of Hong Kong has announced the delivery of its 35th tug built to the increasingly successful ‘Z-Tech’ design six years. The tug Sajalices, delivered in late January, just before the shipyard closed for the Chinese New Year holiday, is one of the thirteen Z-Tech 6500 vessels ordered by the Panama Canal Authority. Sajalices is the fifth tug of the order to be completed and to leave the shipyard on the 10,000 nautical mile delivery voyage across the Pacific Ocean. The 6000 horsepower tug is just 27.4m in length with a beam of 11.5m

Two tugs formerly operated by Kotug or their associate companies are now operating in the colours of Groupe Boluda having recently arrived in Spain. The ASD tug SD Gironde, built in 2006 and formerly part of the tug fleet withdrawn from Le Havre, has been renamed VB Golden in the ownership of Boluda and under the Spanish flag. The Rotor Tug RT Anthonie, built in 2005, is also in Boluda colours and has been renamed VB Muscle but remains under a single ship company and its original Maltese flag.