Tugs News

The UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has published an assessment of the February 2025 tow rope incident onboard the tug Svitzer Avon.At approximately 1954 on 4 February 2025, the UK registered tugs Svitzer Avon and Svitzer Brunel left the lock at Royal Portbury Dock, Bristol, England to meet the car carrier Auto Eco in the King Road approaches to the lock. Auto Eco had a pilot embarked for the entry into port and was to employ both tugs for a ship assist move into…

HaiSea Marine is expanding its fleet on BC's North Coast and has placed orders for one new escort tugboat and two terminal tugboats.The contract to build an escort tug was awarded to Sanmar Shipyards, based in Türkiye. The escort vessel is a variant of the well-proven Robert Allan designed RAstar 4000 series of high-performance escort tugs, and features a similar design to the widely acclaimed HaiSea tugs of the same class currently deployed in Kitimat.HaiSea awarded Damen Shipyards Group the contract to build two ASD 2813 terminal tugboats.

ABB has secured a contract from Cochin Shipyard to supply power and propulsion systems for two electric tugs being built under India’s Green Tug Transition Program (GTTP).The vessels, due for delivery to Polestar Maritime in 2027, will operate out of the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA), India’s largest container port.The tugs form part of the first phase of the GTTP, which aims to transition India’s harbor tug fleet from conventional diesel-powered vessels to greener alternatives in five phases between 2024 and 2040.ABB’s scope of supply includes electrical…

SAAM has completed the acquisition of the remaining 30% stake in Intertug's operations in Colombia and Mexico, giving the company full ownership of the subsidiaries.The transaction, valued at $30.5 million, was completed after the required regulatory approvals were obtained and other closing conditions were satisfied.The acquisition follows SAAM's initial purchase of a 70% stake in Intertug in 2021, which marked the company's entry into the Colombian market and complemented its operations in Mexico.“This is a key step in our growth strategy for 2030.

Berg Propulsion has secured a contract to supply propulsion systems and electrical integration technology for two all-electric harbor tugs being built under India’s Green Tug Transition Program.The vessels are under construction by Mumbai-based KMEW Group on behalf of India’s Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways and are expected to enter service in the fourth quarter of 2027, subject to regulatory approval.The program aims to deploy 50 green tugs across India’s major ports…

Tug Network Team has appointed Felipe Gouvêa as executive director as the towage alliance moves to strengthen coordination and expand its international operations.The alliance, launched in the Americas in 2024 and recently expanded into Europe, connects operators across 113 ports in 13 countries with a combined fleet of more than 200 tugs.Gouvêa previously served as chief executive of Brazilian towage operator Sulnorte and has held senior roles across shipping, chartering, port…

Marine battery manufacturer AYK Energy said the transition to electric-powered workboats is accelerating as a battery-methanol harbor tug completed sea trials ahead of delivery.The Svitzer Balder, built by Türkiye’s Uzmar shipyard, is described by the company as the most powerful electric escort tug, capable of operating in near-open ocean conditions as well as in harbor.The vessel is set to be delivered to the Port of Gothenburg in Sweden, where it is expected to carry out more…

Woodside Energy has awarded a services contract to Green Tug Towing – a joint venture of Harbor Docking & Towing and Saltchuk Marine – for the design and construction of four new tugs to be built at C&C Marine and Repair in Belle Chase, Louisiana, and delivered to Louisiana LNG in 2028.With this award, valued at more than $300 million, Woodside and its contractors have now committed more than $1 billion to Louisiana suppliers for the foundational development of the Louisiana LNG…

Tug Network Team (TNT), an alliance of independent towage operators launched in the Americas in 2024, has expanded into Europe with the addition of Fairplay Towage.The move increases the alliance’s presence to 113 ports across 13 countries with a combined fleet of more than 200 tugboats.TNT was initially formed by Group Ocean, Sulnorte and CPT Towage to strengthen regional cooperation among independent operators and offer shipowners broader access to towage services across the Americas.With the addition of Hamburg-based Fairplay Towage, the alliance now extends its reach into Europe.

Sanmar has held a ceremony to mark the delivery of four of its fully electric ElectRA tugboats to Türkiye’s state-owned crude oil and natural gas pipelines and trading company, BOTAŞ.The four eco-friendly, emissions-free harbor tugs are based on the exclusive-to-Sanmar ElectRA 2500SX design from Canadian naval architects Robert Allan Ltd. They will operate at the BOTAŞ Marmara Ereğlisi LNG Terminal and the BOTAŞ Saros FSRU Terminal, both of which are of strategic importance to ensuring Türkiye’s energy security.The ceremony was held at Sanmar’s Tuzla Shipyard on Friday…

PaxOcean Group and ABB have announced that Singapore’s first fully electric tug completed commissioning, marking a major milestone in the city-state’s harbor craft electrification program.The 50-tonne bollard pull tug, PXO-ACE-1, is expected to be deployed in April 2026 and is the first fully electric tug to be built and operated in Singapore. The vessel was built by PaxOcean Group, a subsidiary of Kuok Maritime Group, and is powered by an integrated electric propulsion system…

For the third consecutive year, SAAM Towage obtained the PAS 2060 international certification in Brazil, which certifies the carbon neutrality of its operations in that country.In addition to operational actions to reduce the intensity of Scope 1 and 2 emissions, carbon credits were purchased to offset 100% of these emissions.This progress encourages SAAM to continue deepening its efforts in energy efficiency and environmental management, which are part of its Sustainability Strategy…

Svitzer has signed a shipbuilding agreement with Cochin Shipyard (CSL) for the construction of four battery-electric TRAnsverse 2600e tugs, marking the first contracted series of the next-generation design to be built in India.CSL will build at least four vessels under the contract, with options for up to four additional units. The 26-meter electric tugs will be constructed to Svitzer’s specifications at CSL’s Cochin facilities and are intended to support Svitzer’s global fleet…

Svitzer has signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) with Cochin Shipyard to construct a new generation of electric TRAnsverse tugs in India.The agreement marks a clear step forward in Svitzer’s electrification roadmap and in strengthening India’s role as a global maritime manufacturing hub.Under the LoI, Svitzer and Cochin Shipyard will collaborate on plans to build electrical TRAnsverse tugboats at Cochin Shipyard yard facilities in India.The collaboration will combine Svitzer’s global…

Türkiye’s Sanmar Shipyards has delivered Denmark’s first fully electric tug to long-standing client Svitzer, which has been named SVITZER INGRID by Her Majesty Queen Mary at a ceremony in Copenhagen.The tug is based on the ElectRA 2500SX design from Canadian naval architects Robert Allan, developed exclusively for Sanmar.Measuring 25.4 meters in length with a 12.86-meter beam and 5.40-meter draft, it is equipped with a 1,808 kWh battery system, FFV1 fire-fighting capability and a 70-ton bollard pull.Designed to perform up to 90% of operations on battery power…

Robert Allan Ltd. has been awarded a contract to design an AmpRA 3600 tug for Tianjin Port in Northern China.The AmpRA 3600 series tug will be constructed at Jiangsu Zhenjiang Shipyard (Group) Co. Ltd.The order builds on a successful conventional propulsion design for the same owner and shipyard, with two vessels of similar hull form in service.The AmpRA 3600 will have all powering from batteries, with no generator sets onboard, making it a fully battery electric and diesel free ship handling tug.It will be the first Robert Allan Ltd.

SAAM Towage, the largest towage operator in the Americas, has added two new units to its fleet: the SAAM Petrel and the SAAM Charrán. These modern ships, designed by the firm Robert Allan and built at the Sanmar shipyard in Turkey.Their names—SAAM Petrel and SAAM Charrán—pay homage to seabirds native to the coasts of Chile and Peru, following a SAAM Towage tradition dating back 60 years to the company's founding.SAAM Petrel. © SAAM TowageThe SAAM Petrel is on its way to the Port of Arica in Chile.

International tugboat operator Svitzer has taken delivery of its first fully electric tug, built by Turksih shipbuilder Sanmar Shipyars..The SANMAR ElectRA 2500SX is based on a design from Canadian naval architects Robert Allan Ltd.The new tug has an overall length of 25.4 m, with a 12.86 m beam and 5.40 m draft. It has a battery capacity of 1,808 kWh, Fi-Fi1 fire-fighting capability, and can achieve a bollard pull of 70 tons.ElectRA Series tugs are the first of a new generation of eco-friendly tugs from Sanmar…

Kongsberg Maritime has secured a contract to supply 17 shipsets of its US range of azimuth thrusters to Türkiye’s Sanmar Shipyards for a range of international tug projects.The US azimuth thrusters will be supplied across a range of power outputs between 1765kW and 2525kW with a bollard pull ranging between 60 and 85 tons.Sanmar Shipyards is a long-standing customer of Kongsberg Maritime and specializes in tugboat construction with nearly five decades of experience and more than 300 tugs delivered worldwide.Operating two facilities in Tuzla and Altınova…

With the 500th tug designed by Robert Allan and equipped with SCHOTTEL propulsion systems, the Canadian naval architect and German propulsion specialist companies have now reached a very special milestone in their long-standing partnership.Tug number 500 is one of a pair for KOTUG Canada, which are currently being built at Turkish Sanmar shipyards.Based on the RAsalvor 4400-DFM design from Robert Allan, the world's first large purpose-built dual fuel methanol escort tug will service…

SCHOTTEL is equipping the world's first large purpose-built dual-fuel methanol escort tugs based on the Robert Allan Ltd. RASalvor 4400-DFM design for towage company KOTUG Canada with rudderpropellers featuring the mechanical hybrid solution SYDRIVE-M. The tugs—to be named SD Aisemaht and SD Qwiy Aanitsa Sarah—are currently in the final stages of construction at Turkish Sanmar Shipyards. After their completion in Q3 2025, they will service Canada’s Trans Mountain Expansion Project…

Robert Allan Ltd. has announced the delivery of two very compact high bollard pull ship handling tugs, Rascal and Rowdy, to Brusco Tug & Barge in the US.The RAscal 2000-D series tugs were constructed at Diversified Marine Inc. of Portland, Oregon, and at over 40 short tons are the highest bollard pull tugs of this size designed to date by Robert Allan Ltd.These compact tugs are well suited for harbors where smaller though still powerful ship assist tugs are needed, as well as being available for general harbor and coastal towing.

A.P. Møller Holding has, through its wholly owned subsidiary APMH Invest (APMHI), made an all-cash voluntary recommended purchase offer to the shareholders of Svitzer Group to acquire all issued and outstanding shares of the company.A.P. Møller Holding, through its wholly owned subsidiary APMHI, currently owns 47% of the share capital and voting rights of Svitzer.The offer price values Svitzer's total share capital at approximately $1.3 billion (DKK 9.0 billion) and represents a premium of 31.7% against to the closing share price April 1…