Tug Malta has added another tug, St Angelo, to its fleet to increase its escort and harbour towage capabilities at Valletta.
Equipped to tackle gas leaks, the 29.1-metre by 13.2-metre vessel with a 4.14-metre draught was built by Damen Galati.
Powered by two Caterpillar engines with a total output of 5,050kW, the 431GT tug was classed by Bureau Veritas for escort and supply duties with firefighting equipment to FiFi 1 standards. It can also recover oil with a flash point of more than 60°C.
St Angelo has a top speed of 13 knots and an 82.7-tonne bollard pull.
She is the first of three new tugs that cost Tug Malta, a subsidiary of the Italian-based Rimorchiatori Riuniti Group, a total of €24 million (US$30 million).
The other two vessels will come into operation in the first quarter of 2019 and 2021 respectively.
