Tug News

Senegalese authorities are racing to prevent a potential oil spill after water entered the engine room of the Panamanian-flagged oil tanker Mersin near Dakar's coast, the port authority said on Sunday.The vessel is owned by Turkey's Mersin Shipping Inc and managed by Besiktas Shipping, according to data from the London Stock Exchange Group.The incident, which led to the vessel issuing a distress signal, occurred overnight from November 27 to 28, prompting the deployment of tugboats and specialized teams from Senegal's navy and maritime authority…

Solstad Offshore ASA (SOFF) has announced that the company has been awarded a new contract by PETROBRAS for the anchor handling tug supply vessel (AHTS) Normand Topazio.The contract has a duration of 4 years firm and is scheduled to commence in 1Q 2026. The vessel will support Petrobras operations in Brazil.The total gross value of the contract is approximately $73 million.

Kongsberg Maritime has signed a contract with Turkish shipbuilder and leading tugboat operator Med Marine to supply US series azimuth thrusters and a combination of electric and hydraulic towing winches for nine new tug designs. The agreement includes Med Marine’s new ‘VoltRA’ all-electric tug, which will be built at the company’s Ereğli Shipyard.The new contract covers the supply of eight shipsets of Kongsberg Maritime’s high-performance US255 azimuth thrusters for Med Marine’s RAmparts 2500-W and RAstar 3200-W tug designs.

Lloyd’s Register (LR) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Jinan Shipyard, a Qatar Free-Zone-based shipbuilding company, to collaborate on the development, classification, inspection, and certification of marine vessels including yachts and tugs.This strategic partnership marks a step forward in enhancing shipbuilding capabilities across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region. The MOU outlines a shared commitment to promoting safety, quality, and innovation in maritime construction and repair…

Sanmar has delivered two new azimuth tractor tugs to global operator Svitzer. Both will operate in Bahrain.Known as DELIÇAY XVI and DELIÇAY XVII while under construction in Türkiye, the tugs have been renamed SVITZER MANAMA and SVITZER AWAL by their new owner.Both tugs are based on the TRAktor-Z 2500SX design from Canadian naval architect Robert Allan Ltd and have an overall length of 25.3m, molded beam of 12m, least molded depth of 4.45m, and extreme draft of approximately 6.55m.Each tug is capable of achieving a minimum of 80 tons of bollard pull and has a free-running speed of 12.5 knots.

Sinobunker, one of COSCO Shipping’s subsidiaries, has completed the world’s first green ammonia bunkering operation at COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry’s Dalian terminal.The ammonia was sourced from the world’s largest green hydrogen and ammonia plant established by Envision in Chifeng and powered entirely by the world’s largest independent renewable energy system.The plant integrates wind, solar and energy storage with proprietary hydrogen and ammonia production technologies. It is powered by a proprietary AI-integrated off-grid renewable system…

The US Coast Guard rescued four people from a sinking tug in the Gulf of Alaska, Friday.Watchstanders at the Coast Guard Arctic District command center in Juneau received a report at approximately 10:17 a.m. that the 110-foot tug vessel Sea Ranger was taking on water 130 miles south of Cordova, Alaska.Watchstanders directed the launch of an HC-130 Super Hercules aircrew from Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak to respond. The aircrew located the vessel at approximately 1:08 p.m. and established communications with the crew.The vessel crew reported they were not in distress.

The Port of Antwerp-Bruges in Belgium has launched the Volta 1, Europe's first fully electric tugboat.The tugboat follows previous world firsts such as the Hydrotug (hydrogen-driven) and the Methatug (methanol-driven).The Volta 1 is a Reversed Stern Drive (RSD) tugboat designed on a double bow principle and equipped with a patented Twin Fin skeg for optimal stability and maneuverability. As a result, it can be used flexibly as a front and back tugboat.With its battery capacity of 2…

A vessel collision resulted in a barge breakaway and one sunken barge on the Lower Mississippi River near New Orleans on Sunday night.Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector New Orleans received a report at approximately 9:20 p.m. Sunday that the Panamanian flagged Motor Vessel Isla De Bioko and the US flagged Towing Vessel Ginny Stone were involved in a collision at mile marker 110.Following the collision, six barges broke free and began drifting down river while one barge loaded with urea sank.

Dutch shipbuilder Damen and towage company Muller Dordrecht have held christening ceremony took place in the Netherlands, marking the delivery of a new Damen ASD Tug 3212.Named En Avant 26, the vessel was the third to be delivered by Damen to Muller Dordrecht in the past three years, the others being another Damen ASD Tug 3212 En Avant 25 and a Z-drive Pushboat built by Concordia Damen.The En Avant 26 was built at Damen’s specialist tug yard Damen Song Cam Shipyard in Haiphong…

Multraship Towage & Salvage has christened its newest tug, Multratug 35, at its home port of Terneuzen, the Netherlands.The vessel is a Damen ASD Tug 3212. Damen and Multraship signed the contract for the vessel – together with a second, identical ASD Tug 3212 – in June last year. Prior to the contract, Damen had already commenced construction on the tugs as part of its practice of building standard vessels for stock. Multraship’s Managing Director, Captain Leendert Muller, said: “Our business has grown to meet additional customer and project requirements…

The Indian Register of Shipping (IRS) has collaborated with Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited on the demonstration of an autonomous navigation system with dual navigation capabilities.The demonstration took place on the tug MT Andaman.The IRS team led by Mr. R. Srinivas, VP & HOD Electrical & Control System, conducted a thorough review of the autonomy concept, system documentation, software quality documentation and a detailed risk assessment in accordance with IRS Guidelines…

Boluda Towage's tug Bremen Fighter passed all administrative procedures and inspections to officially operate, as of February 21, its maritime salvage activity under the German flag.Bremen Fighter is displaying the official German coast guard colors, with a commitment to protect maritime safety in the eastern Baltic Sea, under the command of German Federal Waterway Authorities. Bremen Fighter, an offshore tug, is the most powerful tug in the Boluda Towage fleet.Earlier , the German…

Turkish tug boat builder Sanmar Shipyards said that it has launched Odin of Scapa, first of the Orkney Islands Council (OIC) two new tugs, at its shipyard at Altinova in Turkey."The launch was on schedule and the program is currently within budget," informed the shipbuilder.Following a period of final fitting out, equipment commissioning and then sea trials the purpose-built tug will commence a three week passage from Turkey and is due to arrive at its new home in Scapa Flow in Orkney at the end of the second week in May.The second tug – Thor of Scapa – is ahead of schedule and is due to arrive in Orkney some 2 months after its sister ship.OIC’s Head of Marine Services…

Abu Dhabi Ports has signed an agreement with Canadian naval architects Robert Allan Ltd to develop the world's first fully autonomous commercial marine tugs.The tugs will undertake operations with SAFEEN, Abu Dhabi Ports’ maritime service arm.One of the primary advantages of the innovative design includes greater capability, as shifting the human element from on-board to on-shore, will allow such vessels to operate in far more adverse weather conditions. Furthermore, the new technology will help increase efficiency and enhance operational safety.Abu Dhabi Ports will work closely with one of Canada’s oldest privately-owned Naval Architectural and Marine Engineering firms on the research and development of remotely-controlled marine tugs that will be fully unmanned…

Dutch shipbuilding major Damen Shipyards Group said that it has signed a contract with London construction services provider S. Walsh & Sons (Walsh) for a CS2010 pusher tug from Concordia Damen.The pusher will be available for quick delivery in summer this year as a result of Concordia Damen’s practice of building stock hulls, the shipbuilder said.The CS 2010 will join the growing Walsh marine fleet operating on the River Thames in the UK – including the Damen Multi Cat 1908 delivered in 2019. The new vessel will push barges on the river, transporting huge volumes of bulk freight in and out of London.On delivery it will go straight into action…

Rimorchiatori Riuniti has has acquired an azimuth tractor tug from Sanmar Shipyards to boost its operations in the port of Genoa, ItalyThe 25-m tug was upgraded, renamed Italia and deployed to provide towage services in Genoa.Sanmar had delivered a RAmparts 2400SX Class ASD Tug to the Genoese group back in 2014 and that tug has been re-named as Turchia which is currently giving towage service in the port of Genoa.Italia is an azimuth tractor tug, TRAktor-Z 2500SX designed by the distinguished Canadian designers “Robert Allan Ltd.” Principal dimensions are 25m by 12m and she can achieve 70 tonnes of bollard pull by means of 2 x CAT 3516C…

SCHOTTEL said it has secured a contract with Turkish shipbuilder Med Marine to provide propulsion units for a newly built escort and harbor tug. The Robert-Allan-designed tugboat is under construction at the Ereğli Shipyard in Northern Turkey. It will be used for harbor and terminal operations as well as for coastal towing.The main propulsion for the RAmparts 3200 tug consists of a pair of SCHOTTEL Rudderpropellers type SRP 460 CP – each driven by a diesel engine with 2,350 kW.

Canadian naval architectural firm Robert Allan Ltd (RAL) announced that  the TOR Group  shipyard in Tuzla Bay (Istanbul) has delivered the Ben Owusu-Mensah, the third of three RAstar 3300 tugs for Ghana Ports & Harbours Authority (GPHA).The new tugs are equipped to fulfill a multitude of missions for the GPHA, including but not limited to ship-assist, fire-fighting, and pollution response, said a press release from the ship designer."Driven by high speed engines and Z-drive propellers, the Ben Owusu-Mensah and its sisters comfortably meet all contractual performance requirements, including the achievement of 82 tonnes of bollard pull and speeds in excess of 14 knots on trial…

Japan's first LNG-fueled vessel, the tugboat Sakigake, on January 23 was supplied with LNG as fuel for the 100th time since the tugboat’s delivery in 2015.The vessel is owned by Japanese shipping company Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK) and operated by Shin-Nippon Kaiyosha, an NYK Group company.The LNG bunkering was conducted safely and efficiently from a tank truck at the No. 5 quay of Shinko, Yokohama, said a press release from the Tokyo-headquartered global logistics enterprise."NYK is making use of the expertise and know-how the company has obtained through LNG transportation over the years to expand its wide range of businesses to LNG-fuel supply and sale.

Sanlin Shipyard of Shanghai Harbour Fuxing Shipping Service Company delivered ASD 35/50 Tug Jin Gang Lun 34 to Tianjin Port.She joins the Port’s tugboat fleet and serves the main roles of harbour towing, berthing and unberthing visiting vessels, with additional function of fire-fighting and minor ice breaking.Following her sister vessel of Jin Gang Lun 33 which was delivered in November, Jin Gang Lun 34 is also custom designed in Canada by the Vancouver based naval architects Robert Allan Ltd. The vessel obtains CCS Notation of I (intelligent)-ship with sub-notation of “N” – intelligent navigation; “M” – intelligent machinery space; “E” – intelligent energy management…

Jiangsu Zhenjiang Shipyard in China has delivered Yong Gang Xiao Tuo 60, a dual fuel RAstar 3800-DF tug, to Ningbo Zhoushan Port Company Ltd.According to a release from the naval architectural firm Robert Allan, this first ever RAstar 3800-DF tug is the 10th custom designed vessel by Robert Allan Ltd. in close collaboration with Ningbo Port Company. The vessel is also the first Robert Allan Ltd. designed dual-fuel tug to operate in China.The new RAstar 3800-DF tug is powered by a pair of Niigata 8L28AHX-DF dual-fuel engines, each rated for 2,389 kW at 800 rpm, and driving Kongsberg US 255 CP 2.8 meter diameter controllable pitch Z-drives. Bollard pull recorded on trials met all expectations and is certified as 80.3 tonnes ahead.

The provider of towage services Boluda Towage Europe said that it's tugboat ‘Union Koala’ was officially certified for compliance with the IMO Tier III standards. The converted tug returned to service during a ceremony at the ABC Tower in Zeebrugge, Belgium."Boluda Towage Europe has passed a new milestone: it is the first towage company in Europe to convert an existing tugboat, complying with the IMO Tier III standards. The company embarked on this project together with supplier Anglo Belgian Corporation with the aim of reducing shipping emissions and addressing local port authorities’ demand for cleaner operations in the port area," claimed a press note from the company.To ensure that the vessel is complying with the IMO Tier III standard…