Tug and Salvage Vessel News Roundup | October 4 – Brazilian towage fleet expansion, future ferry-assist tugs for New Zealand’s South Island and more

Tug and Salvage Vessel News Roundup | October 4 – Brazilian towage fleet expansion, future ferry-assist tugs for New Zealand’s South Island and more

MEPS WEEK

Deliveries include new tugs for operators in Greece and Brazil. Orders have meanwhile been placed for escort and ship assist vessels for deployment on the US Gulf Coast and in New Zealand.

Turkish yard delivers tug to Greek owner

Photo: Med Marine

Turkish shipbuilder Med Marine recently handed over a new ASD harbour tug to Greek towage operator Vernicos Scafi.

The Robert Allan Ltd-designed Vernicos Scafi III has a length of 25 metres, a beam of 12 metres, a draught of 5.75 metres, a gross tonnage of just under 400, and accommodations for seven crewmembers. Two MTU 16V4000M63 2,000kW engines drive Kongsberg azimuthing thrusters to deliver a bollard pull of 70 tonnes and a speed of 11 knots.

The tug will be operated out of the Port of Piraeus.

Svitzer acquires fourth tug for Brazil towage operations

Photo: Svitzer

Danish towage company Svitzer has confirmed the continued expansion of its fleet in Brazil with the acquisition of a fourth tug for operation in the country’s waters.

Svitzer Monte KT is one of six new ASD tugs that will be put into operation by Svitzer in Brazil before the end of the year. The Robert Allan Ltd-designed vessel has a top speed of 13 knots and a bollard pull of 70 tonnes.

Construction took place at local shipyard Estaleiro Rio Maguari.

Port Marlborough New Zealand places order for low-emission tug

Photo: Damen

Port Marlborough New Zealand (PMNZ) and Netherlands-based the Damen Shipyards Group have entered into an agreement for the construction and delivery of a new compact ASD tug.

The 21-metre tug will be built to handle large ferries that need to be manoeuvred around PMNZ’s finger jetties on South Island.

The tug will be fitted with an IMO Tier III-compliant propulsion system that also includes Damen’s proprietary emission reduction system. An electric power generation system will produce electricity by drawing on the ample power available from the main engines, reducing fuel consumption and emissions as a result.

The vessel will be built at Damen Shipyards Changde in Hunan, China.

Design selected for future Gulf LNG escort tugs

Photo: Robert Allan Ltd

Master Boat Builders of Alabama and Sterling Shipyard of Texas have each been contracted to build two escort and terminal support tugs for joint venture towage company Gulf LNG Tugs.

All four tugs will utilise a design by Robert Allan Ltd. The design work is in compliance to ABS’ Escort Tug, Low Emissions Vessel (US), and Fire Fighting–Class 1 notations.

Power for each tug will be provided by two Caterpillar 3516E US EPA Tier IV-compliant main engines.

See all the other news, reviews and features of this month’s Marine Engines and Propulsion Systems Week right here.


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