TOWLINES
The Global Destiny, previously one of the Netherlands most famous ocean-going salvage tugs, and one in a series of three is reported to have been delivered to Pakistan breakers.
Built in 1975 as the Smit Rotterdam the tug remained with various companies within the Smit family including a spell as Smitwijs Rotterdam under ownership of SmitWijs Scheepsholding B.V. In 2007 Smit signalled their withdrawal from the ocean towing market and the vessel started a new lease of life under the Svitzer banner renamed Rotterdam. Other than change of ownership for the last voyage (ignominiously under tow itself), Global Destiny’s final days of service were listed with Rosella Maritime of Greece. Global Destiny follows a similar fate to its near-sisters Smit London and Smit Singapore and marks the sad end of a proud era in the history of Dutch towing.
The European Tugowners Association held its 51st Annual Meeting in Bourgas recently, hosted by Multraship Bulgaria. The conference mainly concentrated on climate change challenges affecting the European towage industry and the shipping industry in general. Speakers illustrated the legislative framework at IMO and EU level and solutions that shipyards, engine manufacturers, ship designers and naval architects are presenting to tug owners. Turkish associate member Sanmar Shipyard presented the world’s first LNG fuelled tug Børgoy, now in service with Bukser og Berging of Norway (along with a sister-vessel). The event was sponsored by hosting companies:Multraship Bulgaria, Anglo Belgian Corporation, Damen Shipyard Gorinchem, Redwise, Sanmar Denizcilik, Schottel GmbH, Shipowners’ Protection, TOS Transport & Offshore Services, Uzmar Shipbuilding Trade Incorp, Voith Turbo Schneider Propulsion GmbH & Co.
KOTUG International B.V. has been proclaimed winner of the prestigious King Willem I Award 2014 in the category ‘medium and small sized enterprise’. The award, seen as the Oscar for business owners in the Netherlands was presented recently to Kotug Group CEO Ard-Jan Kooren by Her Royal Highness Queen Maxima of The Netherlands (photo above). The award is granted every two years by the King Willem I Foundation and rewards daring, decisiveness, perseverance, sustainability and innovation.
Great Lakes Towing and Shipyard have celebrated their 116th year of operation with completion of the drydocking of the USCG cutter Biscayne Bay and its return to the water thanks to their 770t capacity Marine Travelift. The company is also continuing with continuation of its major fleet overhaul programme. The company, part of The Great Lakes Group, is continuing work on the tug Wyoming, the 10th tug to be overhauled and inspected as part of Great Lakes Towing Company’s ongoing fleet overhaul programme. The Great Lakes Group are made up of a number of diversified marine-related companies operating on the Great Lakes; the east, Gulf and west coasts of the United States; as well as Puerto Rico, islands of the Caribbean and internationally.
By Peter Barker
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