Tugboat News

On October 23, Damen Shipyards Group delivered an ASD Tug 2111 to WUZ Port and Maritime Services in the Port of Rotterdam. The vessel Argo is the eighth Damen tug to set sail in the WUZ Port and Maritime Services fleet. The company is growing its fleet in order to support the development of the Port of Gdansk, Poland. As a result of this expansion over the years the company has become Poland’s largest towage company and now operates eighteen vessels and a range of different Damen tug models.The ASD 2111 is one of the latest models in Damen’s Compact Tugs series.

ClassNK has added Japan's first hydrogen-fueled tugboat TEN-OH to its register, which is built by TSUNEISHI SHIPBUILDING Co., Ltd.This vessel was developed and build under the 'Nippon Foundation Zero Emission Ships Project', a grant program by The Nippon Foundation aimed at developing ships with zero CO2 emissions.Based on discussions among the parties involved during the planning stage of the vessel, ClassNK reviewed the safety requirements and countermeasures for hydrogen-fueled…

Tsuneishi Shipbuilding has delivered Ten-Oh, Japan’s first tugboat equipped with a hydrogen-powered internal combustion engine.The 38-meter tugboat is equipped with a BeHydro high-output hydrogen dual-fuel engine and a high-pressure hydrogen gas storage system with large-capacity and supply system, supplied by JPNH2YDRO — a joint venture between Tsuneishi Group and CMB.TECH.The vessel was developed and built under The Nippon Foundation’s Zero Emission Ships Project which aims…

The Towing Vessel Inspection Bureau (TVIB) announced that Rio Marine, Inc. has become the first maritime services provider to achieve certification under the American Waterways Operators’ (AWO) Responsible Carrier Program (RCP).The RCP is a safety management system for the tugboat, towboat, and barge industry that sets standards for safety, environmental stewardship, and continuous improvement. To earn certification, companies undergo a third-party audit evaluating policies, procedures, employee practices, and operational performance.Capt. David A. Foret Jr.

Sanmar Shipyards celebrated the delivery of the RAmparts 2400SX-MKII design tug UT PATZCUARO to Americas operator Ultratug at a ceremony held at its Altinova Shipyard on October 6, 2025, following the completion of closing in Tuzla earlier the same day. The delivery marks the first tugboat built by Sanmar for Ultratug.The ceremony was attended by Cem Seven, Chairman, Ali Gürün, Vice Chairman & CEO, with members of Sanmar’s management and employees. From Ultratug, the delegation included Jan Vermeij…

Sanmar Shipyards, a leader in the construction of specialized tugboats, has announced the successful delivery of one of its Boğaçay Class tugboats to long-termreturning Italian customer, Rimorchitori Napoletani.The vessel, originally named BOĞAÇAY LXXX, was renamed GARGANO by its new owners. It is a diesel-powered multi-purpose tug designed for demanding operations, including ship-handling, coastal towing, escort, and general duties.Built at Sanmar’s shipyard in Türkiye, the tug is based on the RAmparts 2400SXMKII design…

Sanmar Shipyards latest tugboat, built for Ultratug, has successfully completed a comprehensive program of sea trials in Tuzla, Turkiye.Known during construction as Boğaçay LXXIX, the tug is based on the RAmparts 2400SX-MKII design by Canadian naval architects Robert Allan Ltd., a model exclusive to Sanmar. The design has been tailored to meet the demanding operational needs of Ultratug.The trial results were witnessed by representatives from Ultratug, Sanmar, and classification and quality teams.

A tugboat that sank at the Bremerton Marina in Seattle continues to leak oil.The Dominion, a 130-foot tugboat, which sank around 4 p.m., Wednesday, was reported to contain an unknown amount of diesel fuel and about 200 gallons of lube oil when it sank.Containment boom and absorbent pads were quickly placed around the vessel. Supplemental boom was deployed to collect the pollution as tides shifted. Vacuum trucks and skimmers were also deployed to collect recoverable product.Additionally…

Portland Port in Dorset, UK celebrated the twin christening of two new vessels. Dignitaries and guests watched the christening of the Wyke Castle tug and the Silverwell pilot boat on the Dorset port’s Dock Jetty before an demonstration of the vessels’ capabilities.The multi-million-pound investment in the new boats for Portland Harbor Authority comes as the port continues to grow. It follows the opening of a USD$35.4m (£26m) new deepwater berth in 2023.Portland Port chairman Christopher Langham was joined for the naming ceremony by the Naval Regional Commander for Wales…

Sanmar Shipyards has launched the first of two of the world’s first large purpose-built dual fuel methanol escort tugs it is building for KOTUG Canada. KOTUG Canada is a partnership between KOTUG International B.V. and Canada's Horizon Maritime Inc.Based on the RAsalvor 4400-DFM design from Canadian naval architects Robert Allan Ltd, the two tugs—the first Sanmar has built for KOTUG Canada—will service Canada’s Trans Mountain Expansion Project (TMEP), escorting tankers from the…

The Panama Canal has decided to introduce the first hybrid tugboats to its fleet, beginning with 10 vessels and the option to add an additional 10 in the coming years. The first two, the Isla Barro Colorado and the Isla Bastimentos, arrived in Panama and were officially christened earlier this month. Their debut marks the beginning of a progressive fleet renewal, with the additional deliveries of tugboats arriving every two months.This move is embedded in the ACP’s sustainability…

Denmark’s, and Svitzer’s, first electric tugboat was named by Her Majesty Queen Mary at a ceremony in Copenhagen.The new tugboat will carry the name Svitzer Ingrid, as announced by Her Majesty during the naming ceremony, which was attended by more than 100 executives from the Danish maritime industry. Svitzer Ingrid has a battery capacity equivalent to that of 23 modern electric cars and can perform most tasks using electricity, thereby reducing annual CO₂ emissions by 600 to 900 tons.Svitzer operates a fleet of over 450 tugboats…

Sanmar launched the third of four fully electric ElectRA Series tugs that it is building for BOTAŞ, Turkiye’s state-owned crude oil and natural gas pipeline and trading company.All four of the tugboats are based on the ElectRA 2500SX design from Canadian naval architects Robert Allan Ltd. The first was launched on July 5 this year, and the second on August 9.ElectRA Series tugs are exclusive to Sanmar and are the result of the company’s ongoing collaboration with Robert Allan Ltd and battery provider Corvus Energy to build a new generation of eco-friendly low and no-emission tugs…

Kongsberg Maritime has signed a contract to deliver a fully integrated equipment package for India’s first electric tug, marking a major step in the country’s Green Tug Transition Programme (GTTP).Awarded by Mandovi Drydocks in partnership with Ripley Group, the contract includes Kongsberg Maritime’s permanent magnet (PM) driven azimuth thrusters, advanced electrical systems including energy storage (ESS), automation and control (K-Chief and K-Chief PMS), digital solutions (Vessel Insight and Vessel Performance)…

The William E Moran, the first vessel in Moran's next-generation class, recently entered service in New York. Purpose-built, the next-gen tugs will be among the largest in the Moran fleet.Built by Master Boat Builders in Coden, Alabama and designed by Robert Allan Ltd., the William E Moran belongs to the RApport 2800 series. This modern ASD Tractor tug is engineered for high-performance escort and ship assist operations. Measuring 92 feet in length with a 40-foot beam, the vessel delivers over 80 metric tons of bollard pull.

SAAM, the largest towage operator in the Americas, has introduced Trapananda, the first fully electric tugboat in Latin America, developed in partnership with Chile’s national oil company Enap. Designed by Robert Allan Ltd. (RAL), built by Sanmar Shipyards, and powered by a Corvus Energy lithium-ion battery system, the tug will operate at Puerto Chacabuco in southern Chile.Measuring 25m with a 70-ton bollard pull, Trapananda will assist vessel maneuvers under challenging harbor conditions.

Sanmar has launched a new tugboat for Ultratug Mexico, which will operate at Lazaro Cardenas Port on Mexico’s Pacific coast. The vessel, temporarily designated as Boğaçay LXXIX, is currently under construction at Sanmar’s purpose-built shipyard in Turkiye.The tug is based on the RAmparts 2400SX-MKII design by Canadian naval architects Robert Allan Ltd., a model exclusive to Sanmar and tailored to meet the specific operational needs of Lazaro Cardenas Port. It will provide accommodation for up to eight crew members…

Tokyo Kisen Co., Ltd. and Marindows Inc. launched Japan’s first pure battery-powered EV harbor tugboat development project.This EV harbor tugboat will be operated in the ports of Yokohama and Kawasaki.In January 2023, Tokyo Kisen put into service “TAIGA” which was the Japan’s first series-hybrid electric-powered tugboat equipped with a large-capacity 2,486 kWh battery. Building on two and a half years of operating experience with electric-powered tugs, this project advances to…

SAAM christened Trapananda, reported to be the first electric tugboat in Latin America. Thanks to a strategic partnership with Enap, the electric tug will operate in one of the southernmost terminals in the world, Puerto Chacabuco, in the Aysén Region, supporting ship berthing and deberthing operations.The tug measures 25 x 13m and brings 70 tons of bollard pull capacity, enabling it to assist large vessels in challenging harbor conditions. The craft is equipped with two, 2,100-kW electric azimuth thrusters and is powered by a 3…

In the early hours of Friday, June 20, Great Lakes Towing tugs conducted an  efficient refloating operation of the foreign-flagged freighter SUNNANVIK, which had become lodged in the narrow mouth of the Cuyahoga River near the East Bank of the Flats.At approximately 12:43 a.m., the 9,000-ton SUNNANVIK became wedged in the canal, temporarily disrupting traffic. The Great Lakes Towing Company responded, dispatching two tugs. NEW YORK navigated by Captain Tim Herrle, arrived on scene around 2:30 a.m.…

SCHOTTEL is to equip a new OX series tractor tug from U.S.-based aluminum workboat builder Silverback Marine with two SCHOTTEL RudderPropellers type SRP 100. Designed in collaboration with Seattle headquartered Elliott Bay Design Group, the truckable tug will have a bollard pull of almost seven tons and ensure excellent maneuverability with an extremely compact size of just 7.9 meters (26’-0”) in length and 4.4 meters (14’- 6”) in width. The vessel, being built for the U.S. Department of Defense, is expected to be delivered in late 2025.

Sanmar Shipyards has delivered an environmentally responsible tugboat to Buksérog Berging.Based on the RAmparts 2400SX-MKII design, exclusively developed in collaboration with Canadian naval architects Robert Allan Ltd., the vessel was originally constructed as Boğaçay LXV and has been renamed BOSS by her new owners. Designed for maneuverability, operational efficiency, and all-weather reliability, BOSS measures 24.40 meters in length, with a molded beam of 12 meters, a least molded depth of 4.5 meters, and a navigational draft of approximately 5.45 meters.

Severe weather caused an overwhelming towline force and unrecoverable heeling that led to the capsizing and sinking of a towing vessel near Galveston, Texas, last year, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has concluded.On May 13, 2024, while towing the barge Marmac 27 astern on an 800‑foot‑long wire, the towing vessel Baylor J. Tregre encountered severe weather, listed to port, capsized and sank. The four-person crew abandoned the vessel into a liferaft and were rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard. One crewmember sustained minor injuries. There was no pollution reported.