TOWLINES

The Challenge was built by Alex Hall & Co Aberdeen in 1931 and mostly worked at Gravesend on the river Thames. It was one of the fleet of “Little Ships” that took part in the evacuation of British and allied troops from the beaches of Dunkirk in 1940. By 1974 it was the last steam tug on the Thames and after being saved from the scrapyard was subsequently restored. It is now part of the Dunkirk Little Ships Restoration Trust and we wish them well in their efforts to join in the commemoration for this historic event.

European tug builder Sanmar AS have announced expansion plans with their investment in a new shipyard in Altinova at the eastern end of Turkey’s Sea of Marmara.
The new shipyard will cover an area of around 50,000m2 and it is reported that vessel construction has already commenced at the new location. Sanmar’s main shipbuilding facility at Tuzla will remain in operation on their programme of tug construction with the new site specialising in more sophisticated vessels. In 2014 Sanmar delivered the world’s first two LNG-powered escort tugs Borgøy and Bokn to Norwegian tug owner Buksér og Berging.

Ymuiden based Iskes Towage & Salvage have reported an expansion of their fleet with the taking over of the anchor-handling tug Bever, a Damen Shoalbuster 3612,from fellow Dutch tug owners Sleepvaartbedrijf Viegers & Zn.
Bever is an impressive vessel, the largest in Damen’s Shoalbuster range with a bollard pull of 68 tonnes while achieving a relatively shallow draught of around 4m. Both companies offer a range of services including harbour towage, offshore and marine contracting services and Iskes’ new addition will remain under the commercial management of Dutch Marine Contractors and fly the Dutch flag.

A crewmember on an American tug has lost his life and three others were rescued when the vessel, reported as Sea Bear sank off New York’s Fire Island. The tug was one of three returning to New York after completing a project on Long Island when one of the crew made a cell phone call to the Coast Guard reporting they were sinking and needed assistance.

The tug sank in stormy weather conditions and an extensive search which was also hampered by heavy fog involving three Coast Guard boats, a police boat, a helicopter and two other tugs got under way. US news agencies reported that the three rescued were wearing protective immersion suits while the victim who lost his life was not, the water temperature was 37’ at the time.

By Peter Barker