Tugs & Salvage

Boluda Towage has provided berthing services to the world’s largest container ship making the first call in Europe on its maiden voyage.

With another busy month of deliveries and orders, we look at news involving 13 vessels, all with predominantly European involvement.

Details have been announced of propulsion and deck machinery packages for Crowley’s eWolf destined to be the US’s first battery-powered harbour tug./p>

Following last month’s news of development of an all-electric tug Vallianz is making more waves in the region’s ship building sector following a tug order for Taiwan principles.

Kotug Australia Pty Ltd and Westug Pty Ltd have agreed to ‘re-shape’ towage services for Pilbara Marine in Port Hedland, Western Australia.

Technology group Wärtsilä has agreed a contract to support two Brazilian river tugs and follows a similar contract with the operator signed in 2017 covering eight vessels in Paraguay.

Japanese salvor Fukada Salvage & Marine Works has assisted a disabled container ship and delivered a patrol vessel to a shipyard for large-scale repairs.

Wirral UK-based Carmet Tug Company has a significant addition to its fleet in the Voith Schneider-propelled CT Oxton previously owned by Forth Ports as the Oxcar.

As work to dismantle the wrecked bulk carrier Wakashio off Mauritius is delayed by bad weather news arrives of a similar accident befalling a woodchip carrier off Japan.

Rotterdam-based Smit Salvage has had a busy period with some activities that grab mainstream media headlines and others attracting little attention.

Resolve Marine has been involved in a diverse range of salvage activities including removal of heavy fuel oil from a ship that sunk over 50 years ago.

International Salvage Union (ISU) annual statistics report weaker industry revenues and a dramatic fall in wreck removals, its president expressing concern at the industry’s long-term viability as it is today.

Uzmar Shipyards has delivered a multipurpose oil spill recovery and support vessel becoming the largest Robert Allan Ltd (RAL) designed vessel ever built in Turkey.

US privately-owned Crowley Maritime Corporation has expanded its towage fleet with the addition of a biofuel-powered escort tug and an articulated tug/barge (ATB) unit.

Kotug Training & Consultancy and AMC Search are to develop a strategic partnership to train tug masters, ship crews and pilots in Australia.

Tug operator Cory Group has switched its Thames lighterage tugs to biofuel after trials resulted in a net CO2 emissions reduction of 90%.

Sanmar Shipyards has delivered a Robert Allan Ltd tractor tug to Italy’s Tripmare making the third similar design vessel to operate at Ashdod Port, Israel.

Shipyards are experiencing a busy period with the awarding of five contracts to report, three involving multiple vessels making a total of 15 newbuilds on their way.

At a time when green, remotely controlled and autonomous tugs attract attention, let’s draw breath and reflect on how tug design itself has developed in recent decades.