Tugboat News

Eastern Shipbuilding Group (ESG) launched the first of the four Saltchuk escort tugs.“We are proud to advance this important project for Saltchuk Marine and look forward to continued progress as we move toward delivering these high-quality escort tugs,” said Joey D’Isernia, CEO of Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Inc. “These four vessels set a new maritime standard that will positively impact the industry by meeting new rigorous environmental requirements.” said Jason Childs, Saltchuk…

The U.S. inland waterways don’t just move cargo — they move people into long-term, well-paid careers. At a time when trucking and rail struggle with shortages, turnover, and burnout, inland waterways operators quietly offer something different: a job you can start without experience, a career you can grow into, and a paycheck that gets better every step of the way.A new study commissioned by the National Waterways Foundation and conducted by the Texas A&M Transportation Instituteputs hard numbers behind what operators and mariners have known for decades.25…

Naming and christening ceremonies for two class-leading tugboats built by Sanmar for Italian operator Rimorchitori Napoletani took place in Naples on November 29.GARGANO and PORTOSALVO are both examples of the latest tugboats in the Turkish tug builder's Boğaçay range of ship-handling tugs based on the RAmparts 2400SX-MKII design from Canadian naval architects Robert Allan Ltd.Boğaçay tugs are continually evolving by taking advantage of the latest technologies and innovations as they become available.

GONDAN signed a contract with Norwegian shipowner Østensjø Rederi to build a state-of-the-art offshore tugboat, which will be the most powerful in its tugboat fleet. Delivery of the vessel, whose operation will be guaranteed by PYMAR, is scheduled for the first quarter of 2028.Measuring 50 x 17 m with a bollard pull of 150 tons, the new tugboat is designed to handle the most demanding offshore operations, combining great thrust capacity, manoeuvrability, and precision, thanks to the DP-2 dynamic positioning system.

After sustaining extensive damage in a December 2024 fire, the tug Lucinda Smith has returned to the water with a fresh start powered by Mitsubishi S12R-Y3MPTAW-3 Tier 3 engines rated at 1260HP @1600RPM each. The repower was completed by Windward Power with support from Laborde Products, giving the rebuilt vessel renewed strength and reliability.Built in 1975 for the U.S. Navy as YTB-140, the Lucinda Smith has sailed under multiple owners and through several repowers across the country. That long history nearly came to an end with the New Bedford fire, but operator Robert B.

After sustaining extensive damage in a December 2024 fire, the tug Lucinda Smith has returned to the water with a fresh start powered by Mitsubishi S12R-Y3MPTAW-3 Tier 3 engines rated at 1260HP @1600RPM each. The repower was completed by Windward Power with support from Laborde Products, giving the rebuilt vessel renewed strength and reliability for her work on the East Coast.Built in 1975 for the U.S. Navy as YTB-140, Lucinda Smith has sailed under multiple owners and through several repowers across the country.

Sanmar Shipyards has delivered its ninth tugboat to global marine services provider P&O Maritime Logistics.P&O took deliver of its first Sanmar-built tugboat in 2013. Since then, Sanmar has delivered eight more tugs that have gone on to serve in ports around the world.The latest vessel has been named AL FATH by its new owners.Based on the RAmparts 2200 design developed by Canadian naval architects Robert Allan Ltd., the Sırapınar Class are compact sister vessels to Sanmar’s Boğacay Class tugs.

Dutch towage and salvage company Multraship has welcomed its latest high-performance tug, MULTRATUG 30, built by Sanmar Shipyards.The 80-ton bollard pull vessel will operate with Bourgas Tug Service, Multraship’s Bulgarian subsidiary, boosting the company’s capacity for harbor and offshore towage in the region, while also strengthening its capabilities in salvage and emergency response.The new tug was christened on Friday, November 14, at the Passenger Terminal in Bourgas by Miglena Pendjuroff…

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.