Spain's Balenciaga Shipyard has laid the keel of a new offshore support tug.
The tug is the first vessel to be constructed by Balenciaga following its acquisition by Safeen Drydocks, a subsidiary of UAE-based AD Ports Group, earlier this year.
The tug will be based on a design by Canadian naval architecture firm Robert Allan Ltd.
Located in the Basque region, the shipyard features two drydocks, a 105-metre slipway, and a factory equipped with advanced automation and fabrication technologies spanning 22,385 square metres, complemented by a 3,530-square-metre cutting and manufacturing facility.
The AD Ports Group said Balenciaga is one of very few shipyards in Spain specialising in the construction of advanced service operation vessels (SOVs). The company also manufactures research vessels, offshore support vessels, and specialised tugs.
The AD Ports Group added that Balenciaga’s proximity to the North Sea and wider European markets enable it to play an important role in meeting the growing global demand for SOVs.
