Work Boat World Tug and Salvage Vessel Orders and Deliveries Roundup – June 20, 2022

Photo: Ports of Auckland

Three new tugs have been delivered to two separate port operators in New Zealand. One tug is notable for having all-electric propulsion and will be operated at one of the country’s largest container ports. A new barge-assist tug has meanwhile been handed over to an Indonesian operator.

Also recently, orders were placed for a new tug for an American bunkering company and for four firm and two optional ice-class tugs for use by the Swedish military.

Electric tug delivered to Ports of Auckland

New Zealand port operator Ports of Auckland has taken delivery of a new electric-powered tug built by Damen Song Cam Shipyard in Vietnam.

The aptly named Sparky was designed to have an operational life of 25 years. It will be used for ship handling duties at Auckland, New Zealand’s largest container and international trade terminal.

The tug has a length of 24.73 metres, a draught of six metres, and a bollard pull of 70 tonnes.

Sparky draws power from Echandia batteries. Echandia said these will enable the tug to achieve CO2 emissions of approximately 465 tonnes annually.

New Zealand’s Eastland Group welcomes two new tugs to fleet

Photo: Robert Allan Ltd

The Eastland Group of Gisborne, New Zealand, recently welcomed two new harbour tugs to its towage fleet.

The Lloyd’s Register-classed Maki (“Orca”) and Ika Nui (“Big Fish”) were designed by Canadan naval architects Robert Allan Ltd and built in Hong Kong. They will be operated in Gisborne on the North Island, the easternmost commercial port in New Zealand.

The tugs each have an LOA of 21.4 metres, a moulded beam of 11 metres, a maximum draught of 4.5 metres.
Two Caterpillar 3512C diesel engines deliver a bollard pull of 50.5 tonnes and a free running speed of 12.4 knots.

Indonesia’s Karya Pacific acquires locally-built barge handling tug

Photo: Robert Allan Ltd

Indonesia’s Karya Pacific Shipping has taken delivery of a new steel tug built by sister company Karya Teknik Utama (KTU).

The ABS-classed, Robert Allan Ltd-designed Karya Pacific 2232 is the first in a planned series of four to be built by KTU. It will be used for barge handling duties within Indonesia’s archipelagic waters.

The tug measures 27.1 by 8.8 metres and is powered by two Yanmar 6EY17W 837kW diesel engines driving four-bladed propellers. The propulsion enables the tug to achieve a bollard pull of 23.3 tonnes and a free running speed of 12.3 knots.

Swedish armed forces procurement body orders ice-class tug quartet from Dutch supplier

Photo: Damen

The Swedish Defence Material Administration, the Swedish armed forces’ main procurement agency, has placed an order for four ice-class tugs in a series to be supplied by the Damen Shipyards Group.

The 17-metre-long vessels will be fitted with heavy duty cranes, additional winches, and Volvo D13 engines with SCR and exhaust silencing to comply with IMO Tier III regulations.

Construction of all four tugs will take place at Albwardy Damen in the UAE. Deliveries are scheduled for the end of 2023.

The contract with Damen also includes options for two additional tugs from the same series.

Polaris New Energy places repeat tug order with Alabama builder

Polaris (Photo: McAllister Towing)

US marine fuels company Polaris New Energy (PNE) has selected Master Boat Builders of Alabama to construct a new tug that will operate as part of a Jones Act-compliant articulated tug and barge (ATB) unit.

The tug will be a near identical sister of Polaris (pictured), which was delivered to PNE in March 2022.

The new ATB will provide bunkering services to customers in the Gulf of Mexico and along the US East Coast.


Baird Maritime

The best maritime site on the web. The sea's our scene!