TOWLINES

The amalgamation of the two brands coincides with the third anniversary of Damen Shipyards Sharjah and cements the joint venture relationship it has with Albwardy. The new arrangement sees Albwardy Damen active in three UAE locations: Dubai, Sharjah and Fujairah. Damen’s Sharjah facility has featured previously in this column with new tug construction, the relationship between these two companies also involves shiprepair activities.

A new office and workshop facility are to be built in Dubai Maritime City enabling Albwardy Damen to offer a full portfolio of ship repair activities, integrating with the existing business units in: Al Jadaf, Sharjah and Fujairah.

Foss Maritime has released two interesting times-lapse videos showing progress with construction of Nicole Foss, the third of three Arctic Class tugs under being built at Rainier OR Shipyard. The ice-classed tugs are designed specifically for polar waters and comply with relevant ABS standards.

The videos, made over an eight-month period and available via the company’s website show: hull assembly; flip and installation of the bow and stern modules; installation of one of the Caterpillar main engines; installation of the superstructure and also wheelhouse construction. Also shown is transportation of the hull to Vancouver, Washington to have a Markey Machinery towing winch installed before returning to Rainier for installation of the wheelhouse.

Antwerp Port Authority has drawn up new tug regulations addressing issues including nautical challenges from ever-bigger visiting ships and the requirement that port authorities are responsible for organising those service that are defines as ‘public port services’.

The latter requirement originates from the Flemish Port Decree and Antwerp Port Authority has declared towing to be such a public service as laid down in its 2014-18 Business Plan. Similarly, new EU port regulations due to be introduced in the future define towing as an economic activity.

The new regulations define the context of tug availability with a system of permits for new and existing operators providing towage services below the locks. Above the locks, the Port Authority’s own tugging department remains the sole operator, with services offered to port users on an exclusive basis.

Quebec-based Océan Remorquage Côte-Nord (ORCN) has announced a consolidation of its port towage operations in the north eastern Quebec region with the resumption of service provision at Port-Cartier.

ORCN tugs positioned in Sept-Îles will support the 39tbp tugs Vachon and Brochu both built by Star Shipyard, Canada in 1973 for the mining company ArcelorMittal for docking and undocking services provided to bulk carriers using the terminal. They will also operate the shuttle service for ore ships at anchor.

By Peter Barker