Ausmarine - Shipping and Offshore

Fortescue inaugurates newest tugs

Baird Maritime

East Perth-based iron ore company Fortescue Metals Group has inaugurated its newest tugs into service.

Six of the tugs are newbuilds while the remaining three have been leased from Kotug. The six newbuilds belong to the same series of 31.5- by 13.8-metre tugs designed by Robert Allan Ltd and built by Damen Song Cam Shipyards in Vietnam.

The newbuilds have been named FMG Dusky, FMG Tawny, FMG Spinner, FMG Hammerhead, FMG Blacktip, and FMG Mako while the leased tugs have been named FMG Sandtiger, FMG Sawfish, and RT Eduard.

The tugs will be based at the new nine-berth tug and harbour facility, located in the vicinity of Fortescue's berths one to three at Anderson Point in Port Hedland.