Tugs & Salvage

In a complex and interesting deal, two tugs with heavy Dutch influence have been ordered from Damen to be equipped for dredging as well as towing duties in French Guyana.

The first US-built Rotortug, carrying the name ‘Trident’ and first in a series of three has been delivered to Seabulk Towing of Ft Lauderdale, Florida.

Concarneau, France-based shipbuilder Piriou has signed a deal with a new customer for an ASD shiphandling tug for operation in the French Caribbean.

Luebeck, Germany-based J. Johannsen & Sohn has added to its fleet with the acquisition of a tug from Norway and a hint that more similar additions may be on the way.

Damen Shipyards Group has reported a flurry of activity involving orders and deliveries of tugs for Italian owners along with delivery of an ASD 3212 shiphandling tug for operation in Mexico.

Reports from Tsavliris Salvage illustrate the importance of professional salvors rendering services that may not make the headlines but quietly avoid situations which otherwise certainly would.

Following a period of refit at Hardinxveld in the Netherlands, the tug/utility vessel Neptun 11 is about to head to the Far East for owners Landfall Marine Contractors BV.

Field support vessels with European involvement have been featured of late, a recent US-based delivery is worthy of note however in an area providing opportunities for providers of specialist bespoke towing vessels.

Russia’s Nevsky Shipyard has celebrated launching of the tug-salvage vessel Kalas, latest in a series of similar vessels for the Russian government and part of its emergency response fleet modernisation programme.

A Damen Shoalbuster belonging to Rosyth-based GSS Marine Services recently completed a marathon 14,572nm round trip involving two crossings of the Atlantic Ocean.

Spain’s Astilleros Armon recently delivered two Robert Allan Ltd (RAL) compact tugs to domestic operators, each combining efficiency and performance for shiphandling duties.

Global salvage operator Ardent has completed the removal of a sunken jack-up off the coast of Mexico in what is reported as the largest wreck removal project of 2016.

The recent salving of a stranded bulk carrier demonstrated the difficulties of operating in remote locations with limited local resources, in the end damage to the environment was minimised but the ship…

The International Salvage Union (ISU) has presented data illustrating the importance to both the shipping industry and the environment of a strong marine salvage industry.

Tug preservation volunteers at Maasluis in the Netherlands recently took delivery of two more vessels for their collection, a former Europoort tug and a smaller tug and salvage vessel built by nearby…

News from Turkish tug builder Sanmar includes deliveries and an order for the first of a new design within just a few weeks of the announcement of the new model joining the…