Hot August start for Kotug

Once the pilot had been brought on board

and

two more Kotug tugs, the

SD Stingray

and

SD Shark,

had been secured to the rear of the

SS Rotterdam,

the ship set sail for the Nieuwe Waterweg.

Scores of people lined along the entire route from Hook of Holl

and

to Rotterdam to welcome the beautiful ship during its final run to moorings at Maashaven.

The next day the 310m long floating dock of Le Havre left that port under assistance from four tugs of Kotug’s French subsidiary SNRH. The dock was sold to Gr

and

Bahama Shipyard Ltd. of Freeport early this year

and

had been repaired

and

prepared for sea towage prior to departure.

Many spectators came to the quayside

and

along the coast to enjoy the spectacle or to claim the end of French ship repair industry in Le Havre. The ocean going tug DEDA, secured the towing line outside the port with the assistance of the SD Loire, RT Pioneer, SD Seine

and

RT Stéphanie.

As if that was not enough activity, the Robert Allan designed SD Seahorse arrived in Rotterdam on the following day. This tug is the latest in a series of four, which includes sister ships SD Shark, SD Stingray

and

SD Seal, which had already been delivered.