Port Hedland fleet awaits new tugs

Construction is well under way on six Robert Allan Ltd. tugs scheduled to operate at the world’s largest bulk export port on Australia’s west coast.

Kotug Australia (KOTUG) won the contract to operate Fortescue Metals Group’s Port Hedland tug fleet, which consists of six Fortescue-owned tugs and three Kotug-owned tugs chartered directly to Fortescue.

The six Fortescue tugs are being built specifically for the contract at Damen Shipyards’ Song Cam shipyard in Vietnam.

LR classed as escort towing vessels, the 31.5-metre by 13.8-metre tugs deliver a bollard pull of 85 tonnes.

The first two are scheduled for delivery by the end of October. The remaining four are due in early 2019.