We look at just three tug deliveries from Sanmar and Damen this month along with a notable order for a new vessel for Svitzer on the river Thames.
Sanmar’s 2018 built Boğaçay XXXIII has joined the fleet of Eren Holdings, a Turkish company with a wide range of business interests including Eren Port on Turkey’s Black Sea coast. The tug is a Robert Allan Ltd Ramparts 2400 design and with a LOA of just 24m provides a respectable 60tbp from twin 1,765kW main engines. It is Eren Energy’s third Sanmar-built tug and features class 1 fire-fighting capability.
Bermuda is a popular destination for cruise ships but an increase in vessels of all types has meant the port’s two shiphandling tugs, which have provided sterling service for 30-odd years, no longer provided adequate power and have been replaced by a more powerful pair, their funding reportedly helped by a berthing agreement up to 2028 with Norwegian Cruise Line. Bermuda’s Department of Marine and Ports turned to Damen for the new vessels and recently the ASD Tug 2811s Faithful and Powerful were delivered to their new home from Damen’s Song Cam Shipyard in Vietnam.
They are examples of Damen’s ‘next generation’ tugs and deliver 60.6tbp and speed 13.6kn from Caterpillar main engines and Kongsberg thrusters. Towing is over the bow via a 150t brake two-speed split drum winch and the fifi1 classed pair have accommodation for seven persons in three single and two double-berth cabins.
Over recent years towing provision on London’s river Thames has seen an increase in competition, traditional long-established companies being taken over by larger entities with Svitzer now the dominant operator. Developments on the river including DP World’s London Gateway container terminal have seen an increase in both numbers and size of ships with Kotug Smit, now part of Boluda also providing towing services on the river
Svitzer has now upped the game with an order for a Damen ASD Tug 3212. The 80tbp Svitzer Thames will enter service immediately upon arrival by the end of Q1 2021 with Lise Demant, managing director for Svitzer Europe commenting: "Svitzer Thames is a particularly welcome addition to our London fleet, enabling us to upgrade and improve our already excellent service in one of Europe’s most crucial ports."
By Peter Barker
