Two more Damen ASDs for Riuniti

Rimorchiatori Riuniti’s history dates back to 1922 and across this surprisingly diverse group the company currently operates over 100 vessels. This diversity is illustrated with ownership of two Panamax container vessels and also owning/operating two bulk carriers. Ship management is another area of expertise but it is the harbour and deepsea towage sectors along with offshore services which dominate the company’s activities and are relevant here.

We will look closer at activities shortly but this recent order will bring the total number of Damen vessels in its fleet to five. The most recent example to join the company was the Malta, an ASD 2411 delivered in 2014.

The two new ASD 2913s, to be built at the builder’s Galati facility will incorporate special characteristics to meet specific requirements of the client resulting in versatile vessels capable of fulfilling a number of roles including in the offshore sector. They will be heavily built with rigid foundations, extra plate thickness, brackets and fendering. Their versatility will be enhanced with the inclusion of fifi1 capability, escort towage notation, oil recovery capabilities and an aft towing winch. One of the two tugs will also be equipped to operate at LNG terminals, a sector specifying increasingly sophisticated vessels, this will include a high performance render-recovery winch built by Damen Marine Components.

The ASD 2913 is described as being ideally suited when a more compact tug is required due perhaps to limited manoeuvrability space in harbour areas. The reserve of stability needed for the bollard pull figure of 80 tonnes offered by the design is provided by a large beam of 13m and a state-of-the-art skeg designed by Damen. In what is described as the ‘versatile length’ the design offers generous deck spaces as well as comfortable accommodation for 10 persons compliant with MLC 2006 standard.

Rimorchiatori Riuniti clearly see the value of operating a diverse range of vessels within their harbour towage division including ASD, Voith tractor and conventional tugs. Its offshore services division includes anchor-handlers, deep-sea tugs and various specialist supply and support capable vessels.

The harbour towage services are based around Italy with a presence at Genova, Salerno, Ravenna, Trieste, Ancona, Ortona, Vasto, Termoli and Pescara: the company also has a presence at Floro in Norway. In 2007 Rimorchiatori Riuniti acquired the Maltese government’s shareholding in Tug Malta following the former’s success in a competitive process aimed at privatising the company. Shortly after, the group became 100% shareholders in Tug Malta when all the remaining shares then held by private investors were acquired by the Rimorchiatori Riuniti Group.

By Peter Barker