Fowey Harbour purchases a Voith tractor

Holmgarth

is one of a pair of sister ships originally built for Cory Towage Ltd in 1979 by the now defunct Clydeside yard of Scott & Sons of Bowling. The 28.4m tug has spent virtually all of its working life in the Welsh ports of the Bristol Channel, having been taken over by the various successors of her original owners.

Holmgarth

is propelled by two Voith Schnieder propulsion units driven by two Ruston 6RK 2CM main engines generating a total of 2,190 bhp. The result is a handy shiphandling tug with a bollard pull of just over 20 tons and a free running speed of 12 knots.

In keeping with previous practice, the new acquisition will bear a local name. It will become Morgawr, Cornish for Sea Giant and will eventually be repainted in the same familiar livery to its predecessors. Svitzer also sold sister ship Hallgarth recently, to the neighbouring port of Falmouth where is has become the St Piran.

Fowey Harbour Commissioners have also sold two of their existing fleet as planned. The traditional single screw tug Pendennick has been purchased by Lowestoft based Izaxs Offshore, who are reported to be planning to tow patrol boats from Sweden to Nigeria.

Polmear, the 14.6m workboat and pilot vessel built locally in 2004, has gone to Jenkins Marine of Poole. The remaining single screw tug Tregeagle will remain in Fowey and be used only in emergencies or if the Morgawr is operating elsewhere.