Boluda Towage has filed a notice with the Portuguese Competition Authority to buy towage services provider Remolcanosa Portugal – Serviços Marítimos, to expand its presence in Portugal.
No official statement has been released by Boluda, but the filing was made on August 1, recording that BT Luxembourg II, the Boluda-owned entity, is filing for exclusive ownership of Remolcanosa and its subsidiaries.
Remolcanosa has a presence in the ports of Viana do Castelo, Aveiro, Figueira da Foz, Lisbon, Setúbal, Sines, and Portimão, the filing states, as well as ocean-towing services, high-sea operations, maritime salvage and mooring.
It also has professional diving and ship-repair services with subsidiaries including Reboport Maritime Towing Company; Tinita Maritime Transport and Towing; Multisub – Professional Diving Services; Rebonave – Naval Towing and Assistance; and Gironave – Metalworking Industries.
Boluda already operates in Lisbon and other Iberian ports, as well as the rest of the world, encompassing around 50 countries and 150 major ports.
Boluda went on quite a spending spree last year, beginning with Resolve Marine’s Gibraltar operations in February followed a month later by its acquisition of Les Abeilles International.
In May 2024 it expanded by 20 vessels with the purchase of UK-based SMS Towage, in July, it swept up Smit Lamnarco then in October, bought Finland’s Yxpila Hinaus-Bogsering to enter the Scandinavian market for clients in the Gulf of Bothnia. The move added add six tugs, five of which are ice-classed, to its fleet operating in the ports of Kokkola, Vaasa, Raahe and Kemi.
Boluda has been approached for comment about the Remolcanosa buy-out.
