Tugboats News

Construction is underway of six more emissions-free fully electric ElectRA Series tugboats at Sanmar’s shipyards in Türkiye.Part of a project unveiled in 2021, a total of eight ElectRA tugs have been delivered so far and are now operating in Europe and America.Among those under construction is an ElectRA 2500SX for international operator Svitzer, which is due to be delivered in the second half of 2025, after which it will operate in the waters between Sweden and Denmark.Each ElectRA tug eliminates approximately 1,700 tons of CO2 per annum compared to modern diesel-powered alternatives.

Electrical system integrator Alewijnse is preparing for an increasing number of tugs and workboats being built at Damen Song Cam Shipyard in Vietnam. The on-site installation team is being expanded, ready for additional projects as the shipyard plans to increase production to up to eighty fully equipped workboats per year.Vietnam has experienced significant growth in recent years and this trend is set to continue in the coming years, with more and more international companies establishing their production facilities in Vietnam, close to the Chinese border and maritime routes.

Noatum Maritime and The Arab Shipbuilding and Repair Yard Company (ASRY) marked the operational commencement of their joint venture (JV) to provide integrated marine services in Bahrain, with the arrival of four modern tugs at ASRY’s headquarters.The arrival of the tugs, part of Noatum Maritime’s existing fleet, was celebrated during a ceremony attended by representatives from various ministries, public bodies and leading industrial firms at ASRY’s headquarters in Bahrain.This development follows the announcement of the JV in February 2025…

AAM Towage and Caterpillar Marine signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), to evaluate and implement alternative power solutions to diesel, including electrification and alternative fuels such as methanol and ethanol, for the tug fleet.Both companies are already working on a dual-fuel engine—the Cat® 3500E—which will use methanol and is expected to begin testing this year.SAAM Towage is active in towage and marine services at more than 90 ports in 13 countries in the Americas.

The world’s first commercial-use ammonia-fueled vessel, Sakigake, has completed a three-month demonstration voyage, achieving a GHG-emission reduction of up to approximately 95%.The vessel was completed by Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK) and IHI Power Systems (IPS) on August 23, 2024, in cooperation with Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (ClassNK) as part of a Green Innovation Fund Project under Japan’s New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO).The development project of this vessel started in October 2021 and completed in August 2024…

Operating one of the world’s largest marine fleets of any kind, it is Svitzer’s local footprint that speaks volumes for its diverse and far-flung workforce and assets. Strengthened by a multi-national team, providing value in more than three dozen countries, Svitzer stands out every day. On 30 April 2024, Svitzer was listed on Nasdaq Copenhagen (SVITZR) as a result of the previously announced separation from its former parent company, A.P. Møller - Mærsk A/S. Danish national Kasper Karlsen has been Global Chief Operating Officer of the Svitzer Group since December 2022.

A second multi-purpose tugboat has joined her twin sister at Rijeka, Croatia’s principal seaport, part of a two-tug contract with the Italian shipping group Scafi for its Croatian subsidiary Jadranski Pomorski Servis.Known as BOĞAÇAY LXXII while under construction in Turkiye the tug, renamed TITAN by her new owner, is now working alongside fellow Bogacay Series tugboat MORETTO.Both 80-ton bollard pull tugs are based on the exclusive-to-Sanmar RAmparts 2400SX MKII design from Robert Allan Ltd.Measuring 24.4m LOA…

Bisso Towboat Co., Inc. officially christened the M/V Mr. Brian on December 5, 2024, on the Mississippi River while docked at Woldenburg Riverfront Park at the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas.The Mr. Brian is a 100’ x 38’ x 13.5’ ASD Tractor Tugboat and was officially christened with a bottle breaking at 5:00 pm followed by a reception at the Audubon Aquarium - River Terrace Room.The Mr. Brian is named after Brian Cyprowski, who is the Bisso Towboat Vice President of Operations and a member of the company's executive team. Brian has been with the company for 37 years.

Svitzer has begun operations in the Port of Itaqui in São Luís, Maranhão, marking another significant milestone in its expansion across Brazil. Over the past nine years, Svitzer has invested more than R$650 million in the country, reflecting its commitment to the Brazilian market and its strategy of delivering safe and reliable marine services to its customers.The Port of Itaqui, located in one of Brazil’s largest port complexes, is a critical logistical hub for the Central-North and Central Brazil corridors.

On December 4th, Tug Malta held a naming ceremony for its latest vessel, a Damen RSD Tug 2513, in Malta. During a celebration attended by the Prime Minister of Malta Robert Abela, the vessel was named Med Aldebaran.With more than 80 tonnes of bollard pull at its disposal, the new vessel will add significant strength to the company’s operations in Malta’s Port of Marsaxlokk. The RSD Tug 2513 is a compact, maneuverable vessel combining elements of ASD and tractor tugs to deliver an ‘always bow first’ approach to towage.

Glamox won a contract from Alexandria Shipyard in Egypt to light two new salvage tugs being built for the Suez Canal Authority. The two new tugs will sport Glamox LED floodlights and searchlights, helping to enable the vessels to work around the clock, as well as navigation lights, and indoor lighting. The design specification and equipment for the powerful tugs are provided by Kongsberg Maritime.The 71.6m vessels will be built to Kongsberg’s UT 722 CDT design, and each will be equipped with approximately 780 marine-certified lights from Glamox.

Today, the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (GLS) completed the formal transfer of the Robinson Bay tugboat to the Great Lakes Maritime Academy during a ceremony at Snell Lock.This celebrated vessel, originally built in 1958, will now serve as a training platform for the Academy’s maritime students, fostering the education of future mariners. At the ceremony, GLS Administrator Adam Tindall-Schlicht, Great Lakes Maritime Academy Superintendent Jerry Achenbach, and U.S. Coast Guard Rear Admiral Jon Hickey made remarks.

While in New Orleans, Maritime Reporter TV visited with Elliott Bay Design Group (EBDG) and Diversified Marine to discuss the Electrified Truckable Tug.Hitting tightening maritime emission targets will require innovation and collaboration across the sector, the type of teaming recently announced between Elliott Bay Design Group and Diversified Marine with the introduction of the electrical truckable tug.“This is a great collaboration with Diversified Marine; they had a tug design and they came to us to electrify it,” said Steve Carlson, Principal in Charge, EBDG.

The UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has released its report into the girting and capsize of tug Biter with the loss of two lives while assisting passenger vessel Hebridean Princess off Greenock, Scotland.At about 1527 on 24 February 2023, the twin screw conventional tug Biter girted and capsized while attached to the stern of the passenger vessel Hebridean Princess, which was making its approach to James Watt Dock.Girting occurs when high athwartships towing forces…

Sanmar has delivered a high-performance, technologically advanced escort tug to long-term client P&O Maritime Logistics.Based on the exclusive-to-Sanmar, RAstar 2900SX design from Canadian naval architects Robert Allan Ltd and built at Sanmar Shipyards in Turkiye, the tug has been named P&O Gaynde.Measuring 29.4m LOA, with a molded breadth of 13.3m, molded depth of 5.5m and design draft of 5.75m, P&O GAYNDE can achieve a minimum of 80 tonnes of bollard pull ahead and minimum of 75 tonnes astern.

Silverback Marine has been awarded a multimillion-dollar DoD contract for its new OX series truckable tractor tug.Designed in collaboration with Elliot Bay Design Group of Seattle, Silverback Marine partnered with Darley Defense to secure the contract. Thespecific department of the DoD will remain anonymous until the first vessel is delivered, scheduled for late 2025.For illustrative purposes, Silverback Marine received permission from industry friends including Tradewinds Towing…

Wilson Sons will start building in 2025 a new range of three powerful tugboats with sustainable technology at its shipyard in Guarujá, São Paulo. It plans on renewing and modernizing its fleet of more than 80 tugboats, which operate along the Brazilian coast.The three vessels are ASD 2312 (23 x 12m) tugs with azimuth propulsion and 70 tons of bollard pull, and are capable of supporting 366-m super container ships on docking and undocking maneuvers in the country's main ports.The new tugs follow the IMO TIER III standard established by the International Maritime Organization…

A tugboat captain's error caused an articulated tug and barge (ATB) to strike and damage the fending system protecting the Hylebos Bridge in Tacoma, Wash., last October, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said Tuesday.The tugboat Olympic Scout, operated by Olympic Tug & Barge, was assisting the ATB Montlake/Sodo, also operated by Olympic Tug & Barge, as it transited outbound on the Hylebos Waterway in Tacoma, on October 12, 2023. The Montlake/Sodo’s captain requested the Hylebos Bridge operator open the bridge.

The smart phone “Bollard Pull Calculator” app produced by Captain M. Baykal Yaylali some four years ago has now been updated and expanded in function.The required tug power and number of tugs needed in variable wind and current currents is typically an assessment made by pilots based on their professional experience. However, these assessments can raise questions from lawyers if something goes wrong, says Yaylali.“A pilot has not so much time,” he says. “For a pilot, if tugs are needed, it is hard to calculate the required tug power just before or during ship manoeuvring.

Robert Allan Ltd. said that YT 027 and AT 010, a RAmparts 2700 and RAmparts 3000-W respectively were delivered to the owner, the Philippine Navy, in May 2024. The tugs were built at Josefa Slipways Inc. in Sual, Philippines and are designed by Robert Allan Ltd. to provide support to the navy’s surface vessel fleet.Propulsion machinery of YT 027 consists of two MTU 12V4000M53 diesel engines rated at 1380 kW at 1800 rpm coupling with Schottel SRP 340 Z-drives with 2.1 m diameter…

Dutch shipbuilder Damen has signed a contract with Toyota Tsusho for the delivery of four vessels to support the port development project in Namibe, Angola.The order consists of two ASD Tugs 2813, a Pushy Cat 1004 and a Stan Pilot 1905. The vessels will be provided to the Ministry of Transport Angola as part of a Japanese Government funded port development project.Damen will deliver the vessels in the first quarter of 2025.The shipbuilder had already commenced construction of the vessels at Damen Shipyards Gorinchem…

Thordon Bearings won a contract to convert the rubber tailshaft bearings across an entire fleet of Panama-operating tugs, pilot vessels, and workboats to water-lubricated polymer bearings.The agreement with the unnamed operator follows the retrofitting of Thordon’s SXL tailshaft bearings to 12 of its twin-screw tugs last year during scheduled dry dockings.The remaining 32 vessels will now be converted in batches at planned maintenance intervals over the next four years.For the first batch of retrofit conversions…

The Panama Canal Authority ordered 10 hybrid tractor tugboats from European shipbuilder, Astilleros Armón, with options for another 10 similar vessels, and Corvus Energy will supply the battery systems for the hybrid-electric vessels.The Panama Canal Authority / Astilleros Armón contract signed in October 2023 was valued at $150 million total for the first 10 vessels, each 30-meter tugboats with 70-tonnes bollard pull.The tugboats will be equipped with hybrid-electric propulsion systems to reduce emissions during ship towage through the Panama Canal and while docking in Panamanian ports.