Chilean shipbuilder Asenav has begun construction of a new escort tug.
The 32-metre vessel will utilise a design developed by Canadian naval architecture firm Robert Allan Ltd (RAL). Asenav said the tug is being built on a speculative basis and is scheduled to be available in the first quarter of 2028.
The new vessel will be the fourth tug Asenav has developed under this model without a prior contract with an owner, extending a strategy built around anticipating demand and shortening lead times for port operators looking to add new units to their fleets.
The company said the build also demonstrates its capacity to manage three tugs under simultaneous construction.
The most recent speculative unit, a tug from the same RAL series, was acquired by Saam Towage and is scheduled to join the operator’s Canadian fleet in February 2027.
Asenav said Saam Towage purchased the vessel in June as part of a fleet renewal plan focused on adding more modern, efficient and sustainable vessels while supporting regional industrial development in Chile.
The new speculative tug will continue the commercial strategy ASENAV has pursued since 2021, developing vessels to meet growing demand from port operators across the Americas, Europe and Asia.
"We see strong growth prospects for the tugboat industry, so moving ahead with a fourth vessel of this type lets us anticipate that demand while strengthening our ability to serve port operators in some of the world's most demanding markets," said Germán Schacht, Business Development Manager at Asenav.
