Newly-delivered tug to support Svitzer’s Brazil operations

Towage company Svitzer has taken delivery of a new ASD harbour tug to support its operations in Brazil.

Svitzer Babitonga was built by Brazilian shipyard Estaleiro Rio Maguari to a design by Canadian naval architecture firm Robert Allan Ltd. Like its sisters, it has an LOA of 23.2 metres, a moulded beam of 11.4 metres, a maximum draught of 5.5 metres, a gross tonnage of 300, and accommodations for a crew of six.

Two MTU 16V4000M63 diesel engines driving Kongsberg Maritime US205S 2,800mm Z-drive propellers deliver a bollard pull of 71 tonnes and a free running speed of 13 knots.

The tug will provide harbour towage services and LNG terminal support in Brazilian coastal waters. Onboard firefighting equipment will meanwhile enable the tug to also support floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) operations.

Svitzer Babitonga joins 21 other tugs in Svitzer’s current active fleet in Brazil. It is the final one in a series of six, the lead unit of which is the 2023-built Svitzer Arthur.