Smit Lamnalco secures two towage contracts

In a further example of high-specification tugs being the preferred choice for LNG terminals, National Oil and Gas Authority of Bahrain (NOGA) has selected Smit Lamnalco to fulfil a 20-year contract to supply marine services at the Bahrain LNG terminal. Four LNG-compliant, 70tbp tugs will be deployed by Smit Lamnalco to provide escort, berthing and unberthing services for LNG tankers.

The LNG import terminal will be located around 5km east of the onshore receiving facility at Khalifa Bin Salman port and will supplement local gas production in Bahrain, ensuring capacity to meet peak seasonal gas demand and industrial growth. Initially four tugs from Smit Lamnalco’s fleet will carry out the required duties and in year five will be replaced by four new purpose-built tugs for the remaining 15 years.

Commenting on the Bahrain contract, Stanley Mass, Smit Lamnalco CEO says: “We are looking forward to working in partnership with NOGA and its partners to deliver safe and reliable marine services that exceed expectations, and we would like to thank them for demonstrating their faith in Smit Lamnalco by awarding the marine services contract to our Team.”

Further afield and following a competitive and comprehensive tender process, more success for Smit Lamnalco has seen it awarded an exclusive licence to supply towage services to Gladstone Ports Corporation (GPC) in the port of Gladstone commencing 1 January 2019 for a five-year term, with an option to extend for a further three years. Smit Lamnalco has been supplying harbour towage services in Gladstone for around seven years employing eleven tugs specifically designed to meet the unique operational requirements of the port.

Gladstone is one of Queensland’s largest multi-commodity ports serving an area rich in natural resources and handling a wide range of bulk goods including: coal, bauxite, alumina, aluminium, cement and LNG.

Mr Maas also speaks positively about the news of the Gladstone contract saying: “We are looking forward to continuing our partnership with Gladstone Ports Corporation and its customers. We are pleased that GPC has recognised our ability to provide high quality, efficient and safe towage services to the broad spectrum of port users.”

By Peter Barker