Ex-MoD tugs prepared for West Africa deployment
A pair of former tractor tugs have been refitted with air conditioning units to prepare for new operations off the coast of West Africa.
British company Flynn Refrigeration is installing brand new cooling systems on board the tugs, which was a necessity for crews working in West Africa’s tropical climate.
Both vessels are now owned by Togo Oil and Marine which runs a fleet of 15 vessels offering deep sea towing and salvage, crew transfers and offshore delivery of ship spares.
Alex Flynn, managing director of Flynn Refrigeration, said: “Many air conditioning and split-range units were considered as part of the initial audit. This included systems manufactured by French firm Airva that are particularly suited to vessels working in the offshore wind farm sector.”
He added: Airva’s systems are specifically designed for boats operating in humid conditions, as these tugs will be, but space restrictions on board and the compact nature of the two tugs meant a bespoke solution was the best option.”
The two tugs, Nimble and Agility, were built in 1986 at the Richard Dunston shipyard in the north of England and can carry a crew of 12.
Once the air conditioning units went operational on both vessels, the tugs were free to join the rest of the fleet for operation in West Africa.
By Alice Mason
