Damen secures two-vessel Sri Lanka order
Damen Shipyards has won an order for two of its next-generation tugs to mark its first collaboration with Sri Lanka Shipping Company.
The order will see delivery of two Damen ASD Tugs 2312, which will operate in the south and southeast Asian regions, joining Sri Lanka Shipping Company’s harbour tug fleet and its three existing anchor-handling tugs. Damen has a policy of building its best-selling vessels in series to minimise delivery times and the pair are already under construction at its Song Cam shipyard in Vietnam, with delivery due in mid-2024.
Sri Lanka Shipping chose the ASD Tug 2312 “based on its outstanding performance as the most versatile vessel in its class” according to Damen, with the steady stream of deliveries for the marque since the first delivery in 2020 confirming Damen has yet another successful series-built tug in its portfolio.
Its compact size of just 23m delivers an impressive 70tbp, the hull including Damen’s patented Twin Fin skeg arrangement. The tugs will include Damen’s Triton remote monitoring system, providing a wide range or real-time performance information including fuel consumption and carbon emissions to the shore-side team as well as the crew on board the vessels themselves.
Other features include a centralised double-drum winch, allowing towing operations over either the forward or aft deck, and the pair will also meet the latest standards for crew comfort with COMF-NOISE 3 and COMF-VIB 3 Class notation.
The relationship between builder and client does not end once the vessels are delivered of course, and Damen’s extensive global support network will allow Sri Lanka Shipping 24/7 access to the builder’s South-East Asia service hubs in Vietnam, Sharjah and Bangladesh.
The contract was signed by Advantis Group deputy managing director Shano Sabar, with director/CEO of Sri Lanka Shipping Company Surindha de Abrew and of behalf of Damen, CEO Arnout Damen and Regional Sales Director Asia Pacific, Rabien Bahadoer.
Sri Lanka Shipping Company’s anchor-handling tug fleet consists of three vessels of various pedigrees. Virgo was built in 2004 as Salviscount for PSA Corp/POSH Semco by President Marine, Singapore and provides 155tbp via four Wärtsilä main engines.
Maha Wewa (41tbp) was built as Britoil 46 in 2000 by Jiangsu Wuxi Shipyard, while the third anchor-handler, 51tbp Aries, was a product of Guangzhou Panyu Lingshan Shipyard and delivered in 2013.
