Download Newsletter week 45 2010 - Towingline.com

11 TH VOLUME, NO. 45 DATED 07 NOVEMBER 2010 

BUYING, SALES, NEW BUILDING, RENAMING AND OTHER TUGS TOWING & OFFSHORE INDUSTRY NEWS 

TUGS & TOWING NEWS 

HIBERNIA SUFFERED ENGINE ROOM FIRE 

Saturday afternoon the 30th of October 

at around 17:10 hrs the Hibernia 

suffered an engine room fire caused by 

a hydraulic leakage. She was outbound 

from Rotterdam with pontoon GPS 

Boxer and sheerlegs GPS Atlas in tow 

bound for Chatham. Flames were 

initially reported to burst out of the 

exhausts. Within 20 minutes the SD 

Shark arrived at the scene and hooked 

up to the bow of Hibernia, towing her 

away from the breakwaters. SD 

Seahorse connected to the aft end of the GPS Atlas. The SAR vessel Jeanni Parqui was mobilized 

for a medivac of a crewmember that suffered from smoke inhalation. He was taken to hospital for 

treatment. The tow was handed over to the Muria and Hibernia is at this moment still at 

anchor outside the pierheads. (Source & Photo: Hans Hoffmann) 

POD OF WHALES WELCOMES TUG BOAT 

THE Gladstone Port Corporation welcomed a 

new tug boat into the Port of Gladstone on 

Saturday. The Smit Koongo arrived safely 

with six crew after a long journey from 

Turkey across uneventful waters and no 

storms. ―The only excitement was from a pod 

of whales,‖ a Gladstone Port‘s Corporation 

spokesperson said. Koongo will now take its 

place within tug boat operations for the GPC, 

guiding and pulling in the coal ships into the 

Gladstone port. The Koongo will manoeuvre 

vessels by pushing or towing them. Tugs 

move vessels that either should not move themselves, like the giant coal carriers in the Gladstone 

harbour. The Gladstone Port Corporation spokesperson said Gladstone harbour could expect two 

more new tug boats before the end of the year. (Source: Gladstone Observer) 

1/22


Advertisement 

MIDLUM TOWED TO WILHELMSHAVEN ALSO 

After the URAG tug Bremerhaven has 

towed the Dorum from Rotterdam to 

her homeport Wilhelmshaven last 

week she return in Rotterdam to pick 

up the other Rotor tug Midlum for 

transport to Wilhelmshaven. (Photo: 

Ruud Zegwaard) 

2/22 

The captain of the Redwise delivery 

crew reported that they covered 14.765 

nautical miles from Turkey to Gladstone 

in two and a half month. They made 4 

stops of which one was not planned. On 

the Atlantic Ocean they have sailed 

between two hurricanes which give an 

excellent weather. On the attached 

picture s seen the crew after arrival in 

Australia – Gladstone. 

Your feedback is important to me so please drop me an email if you have any 

photos or articles that may be of interest to the Tugs Towing & Offshore 

interested people at sea and ashore. 

Send your press releases, news, articles and/or pictures to 

jvds@towingline.com


BERNARDUS GOEDKOOP BROKEN UP 

At the breakersyard of 

Treffers at Haarlem it was 

seen the final parts of the 

tug Bernardus Goedkoop. 

The Bernardus Goedkoop 

was built in 1963 on the 

Shipyard of Kramer & Booy 

at Kootstertille under yard 

number 129 for Rederij v/h 

Gebr. Goekoop - 

Amsterdam. In December 

1981 she was transferred to 

Schepenverhuurbedrijf 

Amsterdam B.V. and 

renamed Bernardus 

Goedkoop 15. In 1997 she was sold to Multraship Towage & Salvage at Terneuzen and renamed 

Multratug 3. In 2002 sold to Zeebrugge Drydock NV at Oostkamp; Belgium. In October 2008 sold 

to H & H Sleep- and Duwvaartbedrijf at Antwerpen; Belgium and renamed Corton 1, In September 

2009 sold to the breakersyard of Treffers BV and now complete broken up. The tug has a length of 

28.47 mtrs a beam of 6.94 mtrs and a draft of 1.85 mtrs. She has a grt of 77 tons a Bolnes type 

10KVL diesel engine with an output of 600 bhp gives the tug a speed of 10 knots and a bollard pull 

of 9 ton. (Photo: Willem Koper) 

EGHOLM II SAFELY SALVAGED 

On October 31 

Danish JA Rederiet 

(Jens Alfastsen) 

carried out a 

successful salvage of 

the sunken ferry 

Egholm II. The 

ferry was removed 

from the sea bottom 

by the floating 

crane Sanne A and 

the multi function 

salvage vessel 

Susanne A. It 

turned out that there was a crack in the hull with an opening of 40 square metres. The crack was 

repaired on the spot. On the morning of November 1 the ferry was towed to Aarhus to make it 

ready for a safe towage to Wärtsilä Group at Hirtshals, which won a bidding round for the 

upgrading and rebuilding of the ferry in order to meet the demands for sailing under Danish flag. 

The Egholm II is built in 1963 by Gebr. Schurenstedt, Bardenfleth, for trading across the River 

Weser. It has a capacity for 100 passengers and twelve private cars. (Source & Photo: Shipgaz) 

3/22


TUGZ INTERNATIONAL TO PURCHASE HANDYSIZE TUG 

Tugz International LLC, an affiliate of The Great Lakes Group, entered into a Purchase Agreement 

for a new HandySize 2,800 hp tug with Red Cape Marine Corporation, a Puerto Rico based 

company. The tug is a new class of tugboats being constructed in The Great Lakes Towing 

Company‘s new Great Lakes Shipyard facility in Cleveland, Ohio. The tug departed the yard on 

October 23, 2010 bound for St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. The tug will be used in the Caribbean in 

the intra-island movement of a 30,000 bbl oil barge. The tug purchase price is confidential. A new 

more powerful HandySize 3,200 hp tug is now under construction at the Great Lakes Shipyard 

facility, Cleveland, Ohio, for delivery in April, 2011. The HandySize Class tugs are advanced, 

environmentally-friendly ―green‖ tugs, and were designed for both harbor and coastal towing in 

collaboration with Jensen Maritime, Seattle. The HandySize design fills the market niche in the 

2,000-4,000 hp tug market for harbor work, fireboats, and construction operations as well as for 

coastal towing operations. (Source: MarineLink) 

WATER IS THE WAY TO GO…. 

Advertisement 

Cheyenne, pushing a string of 

loaded scows southbound past 

the upper mouth of the Harlem 

River (another one of New 

York Harbor‘s many tidal 

straits), is among the last 

working examples of a special 

breed of tug: the canal boat. 

The retractable pilothouse, low 

stack and counterweighted 

main mast that can be easily 

lowered were designed for 

passing under the many low 

bridges spanning the Erie 

Canal. They were built by the Matton Shipyard of Cohoes, N.Y. Visible in the background are the 

Spuyten Duyvil Railroad Bridge, the Henry Hudson Bridge, and the south tower of the Broadway 

Bridge, just three of the 8 mile-long river‘s 18 crossings (15 bridges & 3 tunnels). New York City, 

comprised of three islands (Manhattan, Staten and Long) and a peninsula (the Bronx), is 

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surrounded by and shot through with miles and miles of water. With geography like this 

waterborne transportation is by far the most efficient and, in the future of constrained and 

diminishing energy supplies that is rapidly approaching us, it will become more critical than ever. 

Rail, too, will be of major importance. In New York and elsewhere throughout our country we 

need to invest heavily in the local, small-scale infrastructure that facilitates the timely movement 

of freight and people from place to place and between water and land, which is how it was all done 

before our cheap fossil fuel-fed orgy of waste took over. Given our love of ever-advancing 

technology, and our blind faith that it can and will solve all of our energy problems, it‘s truly 

ironic that we‘re now in the midst of discovering that the future we‘ll need to build resides in our 

own not-so-distant past. You can call it short sea shipping. Or maybe America‘s Marine Highways 

suits you better. Either way we‘re going to have to move much more by water. The U.S. Maritime 

Administration knows it. Canada and Europe do too. Hell, MARAD even has a whole reference 

library on the subject. It‘s time to stop wasting precious time and dwindling financial and natural 

resources on more of serving the four (or eighteen) wheels that have gotten us into the mess we‘re 

in. Water is the way to go….. (Source: Towmaster) 

SMIT SIYANDA IN DURBAN 

South Africa‘s latest tug is due 

to be commissioned later this 

morning (Thursday) at a 

ceremony near the NSRI in the 

Port of Durban. The new tug, 

to be named Smit Siyanda, 

represents an investment of 

some R160 million and will 

provide anchor handling, 

towing, fire fighting and dive 

support to the Single Buoy 

Mooring (SBM which is 

operated near Isipingo by 

Sapref. Sapref operates on 

behalf of oil majors Shell, BP, Engen, Sasol and Total and imports approximately 18 million tonnes 

of oil a year through this facility, which is situated 1.5km offshore of the old airport. Paul Maclons, 

Smit Amandla Marine‘s managing director said the tug‘s arrival symbolized another milestone in 

the company‘s history. ―Fleet expansion is a key business strategy and supports our long term 

commitments to training and development of our seafarers and ongoing investment in the South 

African maritime industry. A key feature of the build project was the strategic partnership 

approach with SAPREF, ensuring throughout the design and building process that they had the 

opportunity to provide input. As a result, the project benefited from the latest technological 

advances in terms of vessel design and operation,‖ he said. ―The commissioning of this vessel is 

another example of continuous investment in the industry and demonstrates the serious nature of 

operating a key asset like the SBM,‖ said Sapref managing director Bart Voet. SMIT Siyanda has 

been designed with key safety and environmental priorities in mind and SMIT Amandla Marine 

will be pursuing a Clean Ship Notation for this class of vessel. She features a moon-pool, dive 

machinery space, decompression chamber facilities, medical treatment room and a fully integrated 

dive control room – ensuring that she is well equipped for dive support and that high industry 

safety standards are met. Smit Amandla says they intend registering her on the South African 

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Ship‘s Registry. The tug is to be named later this morning by the Lady Sponsor, Mrs Ingrid 

Oosthuizen, wife of Engen Refinery general manager Willem Oosthuizen. Smit Siyanda will be 

capable of providing offshore assistance as well as emergency support, if required, to tankers calling 

at the SBM to discharge cargo. In addition to state of the art fire-fighting equipment, the ‗Smit 

Siyanda‘ also features an oil pollution abatement capability. The choice of the vessel‘s name rested 

with SMIT Amandla Marine‘s Chairperson Mrs Manana Nhlanhla. ―We decided to name her the 

‗Smit Siyanda‘. ‗Siyanda‘ means ‗We are growing‘. For the team at SMIT Amandla Marine this is 

indeed the case and the ‗Smit Siyanda‘ heralds further modernisation of our fleet in line with SMIT 

International‘s global fleet renewal programme,‖ she said. The tug that Smit Siyanda is replacing on 

SBM duty in Durban, Smit Madura is to be redeployed to Cape Town and placed on the spot 

market for charters. (Photo : Smit Amandla Marine (c)) 

SMIT IERLAND IN HER NEW LIVERY 

Marijn van Hoorn) 

Advertisement 

6/22 

The Smit tug Smit 

Ierland (Imo 7800502), 

which was reported 

been sold to Buchan 

Renewable – Liberia 

(TT & O nr.43), was 

seen last week in her 

new livery and with 

her new name Ierland. 

She is waiting her 

departure. (Photo 

AWO HAILS NEW DEADLINES FOR TOWING VESSEL INSPECTION 

REGS 

The American Waterways Operators (AWO), the national trade association for the tugboat, 

towboat and barge industry, hails the enactment of provisions in the Coast Guard Authorization 

Act of 2010 (P.L. 111-281) that bring the industry one step closer to a historic towing vessel 

inspection regulation to improve safety in the towing industry. Section 701 of the Act requires the


U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) ―to issue a notice of proposed rulemaking regarding 

inspection requirements for towing vessels‖ no more than 90 days from the date of enactment, a 

provision strongly advocated by AWO. The law requires that a final rule be issued no more than 

one year after the enactment date. A draft notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) has been stalled 

in the Administration clearance process at DHS since February 2009, even though its publication 

has been urgently requested by the industry and Congress. Both U.S. House Transportation and 

Infrastructure Committee Chairman James Oberstar (D-MN) and Coast Guard and Maritime 

Transportation Subcommittee Chairman Elijah Cummings (D-MD) have sent letters to DHS 

Secretary Janet Napolitano urging prompt publication of the NPRM. AWO has requested 

immediate publication of the proposed rule in meetings with DHS and the Coast Guard, in 

testimony before the House Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee, and in 

letters to the editor of The Washington Post and the New Orleans Times-Picayune. Among other 

things, the proposed rule is expected to require all towing companies to implement a safety 

management system (SMS), one of the National Transportation Safety Board‘s top ten most wanted 

transportation safety improvements. AWO President & CEO Thomas Allegretti said, ―AWO has 

been working through the congressionally authorized Towing Safety Advisory Commission for 

years to help the Coast Guard develop this historic regulation. We are gratified that this action 

will finally move this important rulemaking process to its conclusion and thereby enhance safety 

in the towing industry and on our nation‘s waterways. As the Deepwater Horizon spill tragically 

illustrated, it is harder to clean up a mess than to prevent it in the first place.‖ (Source: MarineLink) 

ORCA MEET BOXER 

Last week at Pointe Noire the Smit Orca 

meet the Union Boxer during a bunker 

call offshore. The Union Boxer is 

underway to Singapore with the Giant 3 

loaded with the Taklift 1 in tow. (Photo: 

Crew Smit Orca) 

TUG MARY ANN MORAN ENTERS SERVICE 

7/22 

Now in service with Moran 

Towing Corporation, the 

Mary Ann Moran is a 121 ft x 

36 ft x 18 ft Intercon Tug 

designed by Ocean Tug & 

Barge Engineering Corp. She 

is the fourth vessel of this 

design to be delivered to 

Moran by shipbuilder 

Washburn & Doughty 

Associates, Inc. of East


Boothbay, Maine. I can say 

that this boat is by far one of 

the best vessels I have ever 

had the pleasure of working 

on in over 30 years in the 

industry," says the vessels 

captain, Mr. Jake Jarrell. "I 

was very impressed with the 

professionalism and quality of 

the workforce at Washburn & 

Doughty and the end result of 

their product. The vessel has 

been built to ABS classes + A1 

Towing Service and +AMS, with an international load line. The vessel complies with all applicable 

SOLAS regulations. The Mary Ann Moran admeasures 264 gross tons (U.S. regulatory tonnage) and 

689 gross tons (International tonnage). Both U.S. and Panama Canal tonnage certificates were 

provided. The tug has an Intercon C series coupler outfitted with 34 inch diameter rams; hydraulic 

tensioning; port and starboard hydraulic power units; motor control center; logic/control panel; 

and two touch screen station remote controls. Her two electronically controlled EMD 12-710G7C- 

T2 main engines meet Tier 2 emission standards. Each is rated at 2,550 HP at 800 RPM and 

outfitted with Lufkin model RHS2500HG reverse reduction gears. Nominal gear ratio is 4:1.Mary 

Ann Moran has ABS grade 2, 10 in steel shafts, and Rolls Royce New Generation Workwheel, 5blade, 

115 in diameter, stainless steel propellers. EMI supplied the electro-hydraulic steering 

system, which interfaces with the vessels gyrocompass and autopilot. The electrical system is a 480 

V AC, 3-phase, 4-wire system, designed for non-paralleling operation. The two ship service 

generators are John Deere Tier 2 emissions certified 1800-rpm marine engines with Marathon 

generators, each providing 125 kW, 480VAC, 3-phase power. The main switchboard, 

manufactured by Industrial Power Systems, is located in the engine room and fitted with a 480 V, 

3-phase distribution section. It is non-paralleling with a split bus. In accordance with SOLAS 

requirements, an emergency generator is installed above the main deck. The emergency generator 

is a keel cooled John Deere Tier 2 emissions certified 1800-rpm diesel engine with a Marathon 

generator providing 65 kW. It is supplied with a 24 V starter, 24 V controls and block heater. It is 

arranged to start automatically (electric start) upon loss of the ship service generators. The 

emergency switchboard, also manufactured by Industrial Power Systems, will sense a loss of power 

from the main switchboard and automatically start the emergency generator and transfer energy 

loads. Markey capstans are located on the fore and aft decks. A CEWP-90, 27 in diameter, 40 hp 

electric capstan is located aft. It has a rated pull of about 60,000 lb at 40 ft/minute and is capable of 

withstanding 300,000 lb static pull. A CEW-60, 15 hp electric capstan is located forward. It has a 

rated pull of about 30,000 lb at 30 ft/min. Accommodations for 12 crew members are provided. 

Joiner work was completed by Marine Interior Systems of Covington, Louisiana and Oakledge 

Carpentry of Harpswell, Maine. Tank capacities are as follows: 142,730 Gallon Fuel Oil 8,832 

Gallon Fuel Oil Overflow 2,565 Gallon Lube Oil (main engines) 854 Gallon Lube Oil (generators) 

68,354 Gallons Ballast Water 15,955 Gallons Potable Water 1,779 Gallons Dirty Oil Washburn & 

Doughty is currently building two Z-Tech 7500 Class Terminal/Escort Tugs, one 92 ft Z-Drive Tug 

and one 93 ft Z-Drive Tug that is Washburn & DoughtyÕs newest in-house design. Construction at 

the shipyard takes place in a new, state-of-the-art building that can accommodate vessels up to 200 

ft x 50 ft. (Source: MarineLog; Photo Jake Jarrell) 

8/22


ZEETIJGER COMMENCED TRAILS 

After yard trails in the 

Rotterdam Europoort 

the new building 

Shoalbuster 3009 

Zeetijger returns back to 

the Damen Shipyard 

Hardinxveld. The 

Belgium owned DAB tug 

made a speed of 11 knots 

and a bollard pull of 44 

tons. (Ruud Zegwaard). 

MANZANARES 

Bustraan) 

Advertisement 

9/22 

Last week the 1992 built 

tug Manzanares (Imo 

9014602) visit the 

Caribbean Island of 

Curacao. She was berthed 

at the West Warf II jetty. 

The Venezuela registered 

tug with call sign 

YYV2417 is owned and 

managed by PDV Marina 

SA – Caracas; Venezuela. 

She has a grt of 325 tons 

and nrt 42 tons and is 

classed American Bureau 

of Shipping. (Photo: Cees


COAST GUARD AND CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME 

MONITOR RESPONSE TO SUNKEN VESSEL 

SAN FRANCISCO – The U.S. Coast Guard and 

California Department of Fish and Game 

(DFG) responded to a partially sunken tug boat 

in Broad Slough near Antioch, Calif., Nov. 3. 

The Coast Guard received a report of a sheen 

coming from a partially sunken tug boat in 

Broad Slough. Assets from the Coast Guard 

and DFG arrived on scene to investigate. 

Hardboom was deployed and the diesel was 

contained within it. The maximum discharge 

potential onboard the tug is approximately 800 

gallons. Both agencies are working with the 

owner of the tug to contain the sheen, clean it from the water and prevent additional diesel from 

leaking into the water. No wildlife impacts have been reported, but DFG continues to monitor the 

area. The Coast Guard urges the public to report any pollution to the National Response Center at 

1-800-424-8802 or online at www.nrc.uscg.mil. The National Response Center is the federal point 

of contact for all oil and chemical spills. (Source: U.S.Coast Guard) 

MAIDEN VOYAGE OF THE BRATT 

invited aboard for a lunch and show and tell. 

After receiving a full ―10‖ from the Foss crews, 

the BRAtt was off to Lummi Island. By 1620, 

Anacortes was abeam and they were making 

8.6 knots on a 3 foot head sea on the ebb tide. 

Early on the morning of October 28th, the BRAtt 

departed Point Roberts, Washington State bound 

for Seattle. Captain Ron Burchett and his able 

crew Alan Burchett and Ben Flodquist started out 

in 12 to 15 knot easterly winds and a 2 foot chop. 

With Boundary Bay abeam, the winds increased 

to NE 20 – 25, with 4 foot seas on the forward 

quarter. The ride was lively for this 28 foot tug, 

but with the heavy ballasted skeg the motions 

were very good with just moderate spray and no 

green water on deck. Arriving at Cherry Point 

around noon, the BRAtt was greeted by the 

Garth Foss and Lindsay Foss, and the crew was 

10/22


They were all fast at Dunlap Towing Company, La Conner, WA by 1810. Ahead of schedule, they 

spent the night at the Flodquist‘s Anacortes home. The next morning provided an excellent 

occasion for some photographs around Rainbow Bridge and by 0805 they were underway for 

Seattle as the sun came out. After a stop for lunch in Langley WA, they entered the Ballard Locks 

at 1545 to greetings from spectators on the shore taking pictures and offering compliments about 

the fine little ship. By 1700 the BRAtt was secure at the Fremont Tugboat Company, successfully 

completing a great run of 110 miles without incident. According to Captain Burchett ―The tug 

showed that she can go anywhere to do the job, 

she exceeded my expectations‖. The BRAtt is an 

ultra-compact 450 hp Z-drive tugboat built in 

aluminum. She is equipped with a fully 

operational ship-handling winch, and all the 

necessary features of a fully functional harbour 

tug, simply scaled down to 28 feet. In addition 

to operating as a line-handling and/or yarding 

tug she provides an excellent training platform 

for tug operators interested in learning the skills 

necessary to handle a Z-drive tug. The vessel 

was conceived by Ron Burchett and Rob Allan, designed by Robert Allan Ltd., and built by 

Adrenalin Marine Inc. The main machinery includes Cummins Main Engines, ZF Gears, Centa 

shafting, Olympic Z-Drives with PMC Controls, fenders by Schuyler, and a Braden Hawser Winch. 

The electrical system is centered around the latest Corvus Lithium-Ion batteries to power the 

electrical equipment on board including the Techsol Alarm, Monitoring and Control system. The 

BRAtt will be on display at the Fremont Tugboat Company during the SNAME Annual General 

Meeting this week in Bellevue, WA and again during Pacific Marine Expo on November 18-20, 

2010. (Source: Press Release by Robert Allan Ltd.) 

SMIT ANGOLA IN CAPE TOWN 

After the arrival in Durban 

of the new building Smit 

Siyanda the new building 

sister Smit Angola arrived 

in the South African Table 

Mountain city of Cape 

Town last week. (Photo: 

Glenn Kasner) 

RESCUE TUG DAMAGES ROYAL NAVY SUB 

A Royal Navy sub, which was grounded off the Isle of Skye October 22, was damaged in a collision 

11/22


with a tug, sent to dislodge it. HMS Astute was grounded on the banks during its passage through 

the Kyle of Lochalsh off the west coast of Scotland. The tide freed the sub on October 25th, but 

before the tide came in, the Anglian Prince collided with the HMS Astute. The area of impact was 

inspected and the sub was able to resume on her own. The Royal Navy has confirmed the collision 

and says tests will resume after all the damage has been repaired. (Source: The Maritime Executive) 

OFFSHORE NEWS 

Advertisement 

ATLAS JAYMAR DO BRASIL CELEBRATES 5 TH ANNIVERSARY 

During October, Atlas Jaymar do Brasil celebrated its 5 th year operating in Macae, Brasil. An 

informal celebration marked this milestone on the evening of 28 th October where clients, 

employees and friends gathered for a traditional Brasilian barbeque within Atlas Jaymar do Brasil‘s 

grounds. ―It was a very enjoyable evening‖, remarked William Mair (General Manager of Atlas 

Jaymar do Brasil), ―it was nice to see everyone enjoying themselves‖. Since it was founded in 

October 2005, Atlas Jaymar do Brasil has grown from a two person operation to it‘s current staff of 

13, based in the Macae office. From this office we source and deploy consulting professionals 

and/or crew requirements depending on client‘s needs. William Mair commented: ―We now have 

the infrastructure in place to compete for larger contract tenders and we are sure the next 5 years 

will be even more successful than the first‖. To round off the celebrations, Atlas Jaymar do Brasil 

was awarded DNV ISO 9001-2008 accreditation following an audit which took place on Monday 

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the 1 st November. ―With this accreditation, we feel we can better serve our clients and with 

continual self assessment, even improve on our current high level of service to our clients in the 

energy and marine industry‖ – William Mair. Contact details: Atlas Jaymar do Brasil 27920-260 

Cavalerios, Macae, RJ Brazil Phone: +55 22 277 34 859 info@jaymarbrasil.com 

www.jaymarbrasil.com 

PRIMUS FOR BUNKER CALL IN LAS PALMAS 

The Turkish New Build 

2010, Multipurpose 

Offshore Supply Vessel 

MV TMC 

Primus made a bunker call 

in Las Palmas on 29th 

October 2010 during her 

delivery 

voyage to Nigeria. She is 

built by Forsa Shipyard 

Ltd. / Turkey and owned 

& managed by 

T.Venture Ltd. Nigeria. 

She is 2000 BHP, 60 tons 

crane with 20 tons A- 

Frame and classed by RINA. (Source: Arena Brokerage & Shipbuilding) 

CABALLO SIETE LEGUAS DEPARTS FOR MEXICO 

Shipyard De Hoop in The 

Netherlands has announced that 

on 25 October OSV Caballo 

Siete Leguas (yard number 

431) departed Delfzijl harbour 

for her maiden voyage to 

Mexico. On arrival in the 

Mexican Gulf the vessel 

will start work for PEMEX, the 

Mexican national oil company. 

(Source: OSO; Photo: 

Scheepswerven weblog) 

SMIT AMANDLA TOOK SUSAN F.MCCALL ON CHARTER 

It is reported that Smit Amandla South Africa has taken on charter Seacor‘s Susan F.McCall for a 

Saipem cargo run from cape Town to Pointe Noire. (Source: Dave Murray) 

13/22


ATLANTIC CONDOR LAUNCHED 

Three tugs attended the launch of 

the Atlantic Condor this 

afternoon. Sunday 31 October 

2010. The new supplier was very 

difficult to handle, in part because 

she was trimmed down by the 

bow. The tugs also had a hard time 

getting secured to the ship, and 

very narrowly averted contact 

with the HMCS Ville de Quebec 

which was moored nearby. 

Atlantic Larch, Fir and Willow spent the rest of the afternoon getting the ship into her fit out 

berth. (Source: Tugfax) 

advertisement 

SWIBER LAUNCHES 3000MT DERRICK PIPE-LAY BARGE 

Singapore – November 

2, 2010 – Swiber 

Holdings Limited 

(―Swiber‖ or together 

with its subsidiaries, the 

―Group‖), a world class 

integrated construction 

and support services 

provider to the offshore 

oil and gas industry, 

announced the official 

launch of Swiber 

PJW3000 – 3000MT Derrick Pipe-lay Barge (―DPB‖), which was held yesterday at the ASL Marine 

shipyard, at 19 Pandan Road. Swiber PJW3000 is one of the largest Derrick Pipe-lay Barge in the 

Asia Pacific Region. With an overall length of 170 meters, it is well equipped with crane lifting 

capacity of 3000 MT, pipelay capability of up to 48‖ diameter, and accommodation capacity of 300 

14/22


men. This heavy lift Derrick Pipelay Barge is the latest addition to Swiber‘s fleet of construction 

vessels. Its inclusion will greatly complement and support Swiber‘s USD One Billion order book of 

offshore oil and gas projects, currently being executed in South Asia, Southeast Asia and the 

Middle East regions. Soon after its launching ceremony, Swiber PJW3000 will head to South Asia 

for its maiden work. To celebrate the launch, key executives from Swiber, Maas Capital 

Investments B.V., Siva Group, IE Singapore, BP Migas, as well as an array of invited guests, 

witnessed the launching ceremony of Swiber PJW3000. Guest-of-honour, Mrs. Betty Worrall, 

mother of Mr. Peter J. Worrall, Swiber‘s Vice President of Operations, highlighted the ceremony 

with the time-honored Navy tradition of breaking the bottle of champagne across the bow to 

formally launch the vessel. Said Mr. Raymond Goh, Executive Chairman of Swiber, ―The launch of 

Swiber PJW3000 marks a major corporate milestone for Swiber. Jointly owned with our partners, 

Siva Group and Maas Capital Investments B.V., we are proud to launch one of the largest Derrick 

Pipe-lay Barge in the Asia-Pacific region. For us at Swiber, this definitely represents one of our 

most significant assets.‖ Added Mr. Goh, ―This vessel embodies our drive to constantly push the 

limit in enhancing our capabilities. More significantly, it will help to strengthen our market share 

in the AsiaPacific and Middle East region. We intend to deploy Swiber PJW3000 to perform EPIC 

work in South East Asia, South Asia, and the Middle East.‖ ―We will continue to invest in assets 

and our people to grow our business in different countries. Swiber has been investing actively in 

various countries over the last 5 years including Saudi Arabia, Malaysia and Thailand. Our next 

focus will be Indonesia, where we hope to invest in and construct more assets for the Indonesian 

market. We have recently announced our JV in Indonesia with prominent businessman, Mr. Eddy 

Sariaatmadja, who through his investment vehicle, PT Alam Hijau Sentosa, has taken a 51% stake 

in our Indonesian subsidiary PT Swiber Offshore (Indonesia). This partnership will help Swiber to 

broaden our network in the Indonesian oil and gas industry and enable us to bid for more offshore 

installation and construction projects in the country. We certainly look forward to further 

investment opportunities in this exciting and growing market. Said Mr. Hans Simons, Head of 

Principal Finance Offshore from Maas Capital Investments B.V., ―Coming from Europe, it is 

refreshing and exciting to be in Asia where, in contrast, there is so much vibrancy and optimism. 

It gives us confidence that this is the right place to invest. We are excited with the opportunity to 

co-invest in the PJW3000 with Swiber, and we hope to see many more such partnerships in the 

future.‖ Said Mr. Vaidyanathan Srinivasan, Group CEO of Siva Group, ―We are excited to be 

partnering Swiber, one of the leading offshore support companies in this region, to invest in the 

PJW3000, one of the largest Derrick Pipe-lay Barge in the Asia-Pacific Region. As we all know, 

Asia is the place to be, if one is looking for growth. So we have the right partner, the right asset 

and being in the right place. I see nothing but a bright future for this partnership.‖ Concludes Mr. 

Francis Wong, Group CEO and President of Swiber, ―The addition of this Swiber PJW3000 will 

lend diversity to our current fleet of vessels. With our enlarged asset base, we will have greater 

flexibility in resource planning and reduced reliance on third-party assets. Above all, establishing a 

critical mass, both in terms of vessel fleet size as well as the range of supporting services are 

essential, as we expand our presence in our existing markets and make inroads into new ones.‖ 

(Source: Press Release Swiber) 

NEW DELIVERIES IN OCTOBER 

Vessel Type/Design Owner/Manager 

Normand Pacific ST 256 I CD Solstad 

Ievoli Coral AHTS Marnavi Offshore 

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KL Brevikfjord PSV 06 CD K Line Offshore 

VOS Prevail UT755LN Vroon Offshore 

VOS Endurance ERRV Field Support Vroon Offshore 

Crest Odyssey-1 DSV Pacific Reliance 

Siem Diamond VS491 CD Siem Offshore 

ER Cristina UT 786 CD E.R.Offshore 

ER Vittoria UT 786 CD E.R.Offshore 

AHT Almisan 

A.H. Valletta Moss 424Mk III Finarge 

A.H. Floriani Moss 424Mk III Finarge 

SMIT KAMARA TO THE MIDDLE EAST 

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16/22 

It is reported that the 2007 

built Smit Kamara (Imo 

9320958) departed last 

Friday from Dunkirk bound 

for Dubai. The AHTS will be 

managed by Smit Singapore. 

She starts operation in the 

Middle East as diving 

support vessel for Smit 

Subsea Dubai. (Photo: Joop 

Marechal) 

SEACOR MARINE & SEABULK TOWING JOIN DONJON-SMIT AS OPA- 

90 ALLIANCE PARTNERS 

Alexandria, VA—SEACOR Holdings Inc. subsidiaries SEACOR Marine (Houma, Louisiana) and


Seabulk Towing (Ft. Lauderdale, Florida) have joined Donjon-SMIT, LLC (Alexandria, Virginia) as 

Alliance Partners in support of Donjon-SMIT‘s OPA-90 Compliance Program. Donjon-SMIT now 

has access to the entire SEACOR and Seabulk Fleet, which number more than 150 units of up to 

14,400 horsepower. ―The addition of SEACOR Marine and Seabulk Towing to the Donjon-SMIT 

response team represents a significant upgrade to our already substantial response capability. As 

we continue to move closer to the final implementation of the pending modifications to OPA-90 

in February 2011, Donjon-SMIT continues to work to improve its ability to respond to the needs of 

our clients and the marine community as a whole,‖ said Donjon-SMIT President Paul Hankins. 

(Source: The Maritime Executive) 

NJORD VIKING WINS A 4 YEAR CONTRACT 

TransAtlantic has been 

awarded a four years contract 

by ENI Norway for the ice 

strengthened AHTS vessel 

"Njord Viking", which is 

currently under construction 

at the Astilleros Zamakona 

shipyard in Spain. The 

Anchor Handling Tug Supply 

Vessel will support 

exploration and development 

operations in the Barents Sea 

including the Goliat field. 

Commencement of the 

charter is scheduled for May 2011. The total contract value for the four years contract is about 

NOK 430 million. The "Njord Viking" is part of series of four vessels designed for working in the 

harsh environment and the Arctic. It is equipped with a de-icing system that will prevent icing 

during the harsh Northern winter seasons. The "Njord Viking" complies with the latest oil 

recovery rules (NOFO 2009). The vessel also has standby class according to Det Norske Veritas 

(DNV) rules. The "Njord Viking" is equipped with a covered ROV hangar and a ROV launching 

system. "Njord Viking" will be equipped with a 170 BHP work ROV mainly to be used during prelaying 

of mooring systems. The vessel will also perform towing and anchor handling work during 

rig moves, standby and supply services to the Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit "Scarabeo 8" when 

necessary. The Goliat field is located 52 nm offshore northern Norway and the support base for the 

operation will be Hammerfest. The water depth at the Goliat field is being approximately 370 

meters. (Source: Viking Supply; Photo: Flickr) 

AKER WAYFARER DELIVERED 

Aker Group has added another deepwater subsea vessel to its growing fleet. Seabrokers said Aker 

Wayfarer was christened at STX Europe on 02 October and joins Skandi Santos and Skandi Aker, 

which were delivered earlier this year. The final vessel in the series, Aker Connector, is scheduled 

for delivery in 2012 and has already secured a two year plus options contract from ABB for cable 

lay operations, including installation of the power cable for Eni‘s Goliath development in 

the Barents Sea. (Source: OSO) 

17/22


OSTROV MONERON SUFFERED ENGINE PROBLEMS 

The 1989 Russian flag tanker 

Ostrov Moneron (Imo 8907266) 

owned by Sky Pacific Ltd., disabled 

and adrift due to engine failure on 

the night Nov 2 2010, exact 

position unclear, either in Tatarskiy 

Strait or in Okhotsk sea. Salvage tug 

Rubin left Korsakov Sakhalin 

Island, and steaming to assist. 

Depression is forming in the area 

with expected winds up to 30 

meters/sec. At present no danger to 

22 crew. Update: The Ostrov Moneron disabled after engine failure on Oct 31, in Okhotsk sea off 

eastern coast of Sakhalin Island. Research vessel Diabaz and offshore tug Smit Sakhalin proceeding 

to assist, today Nov 2 salvage tug Rubin left Korsakov, Sakhalin Island, and proceeding to drifting 

vessel. Update: Vessel‘s crew fixed engine problem by own means, at 2245 LT Nov 2 tanker under 

way and resumed voyage Magadan – Nakhodka (Source: Maritime Buletin; Photo: Leo Kramer) 

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NAMING CEREMONY HELD FOR AH VALLETTA 

Finarge has announced that the naming ceremony for the anchor handler A.H. Valletta took place 

on 18 October 2010 in Vigo, Spain. A.H. Valletta is a Moss 424 Mk III design, with 19,000 bhp, a 

bollard pull of 210 tonnes, FIFI 2 and DP 2, and left the yard of Astilleros Armon Navia SA - Spain 

Vigo recently bound for Brazil where she will enter into a charter contract of four years plus years 

with Petrobras. The AHTS is built under yard number 72. (Source: OSO) 

NEW VESSELS FOR HAVILA 

Havila Shipping has concluded bareboat charters and purchase options on two PSVs, reports 

Seabrokers. The vessels are the 2010-built VS485CD Troms Artemis, which is to be renamed 

Havila Commander, which recently returned to the North Sea from drilling support off Greenland; 

and sister vessel Troms Apollo, which is to be renamed Havila Crusader. The latter vessel is under 

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construction at Norway‘s Hellesoy shipyard with delivery due mid December. (Source: OSO) 

CHARTER AGREEMENT WITH SUBSEA 7 

Eidesvik has again proven its ability to continue 

to build a long-term industrial relationship with 

one of their main clients. Eidesvik Offshore 

ASA, through its subsidiary Eidesvik Shipping 

AS, have signed an extension of the 

charterparty agreement with Subsea 7 for the 

vessel Subsea Viking through to March 31. 

2013. (Source: Maritime and Energy; Photo: 

Eidisvik) 

SIEM DIAMOND DELIVERED 

Seabrokers reports that the seventh in 

a series of 10 newbuild AHTS for Siem 

Offshore was christened Siem 

Diamond at a ceremony in Stavanger 

on 12th October. The VS 491 CD 

design 27,400 bhp/275 tons bollard 

pull vessel was built by Kleven Verft 

and like her sisters in-corporate a 

comprehensive inventory of anchor 

handling, towing and cargo handling 

equipment. After performing a few 

spot jobs on the North Sea spot market 

the vessel mobilised to Brazil at the end of October to fulfill a 4 + 4 year contract for Petrobras. 

(Source: OSO; Photo: B.Dahl) 

WINDFARM NEWS 

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Manufacturing & Design of 

Class approved 

Active Heave 

Compensated 

CRANES & WINCHES 

For Marine and Offshore up to 500 ton 

Sold & Serviced World Wide 

www.ahc-cranes.com 

19/22 

AHC Cranes Pte Ltd 

Company No.:201004355K 

151 Chin Swee Road 

#03-28 Manhattan House 

Singapore 169876 

Tel. : +65 9059 6585 

Fax : +65 6735 8015 

SKYPE: ahccranes 

ahccranes@gmail.com


OIL INDUSTRY COULD CHALLENGE OFFSHORE WINDFARM PROJECTS 

The Observer newspaper says the British oil industry has threatened to take legal action to defend 

its interests in the North Sea against offshore windfarm developers. According to the newspaper, 

dozens of giant offshore wind projects are being planned, mostly in the North Sea, and many will 

encroach on areas licensed for oil exploration and production. One windfarm developer told the 

Observer that conflict between the two industries looks likely. The warning over legal action 

came from trade body Oil and Gas UK. The government is currently consulting on national policy 

statements, which set out how the UK's ambitious renewable energy targets will be met, with 

offshore wind turbines a key factor. In its submission, Oil and Gas UK said the policy statements 

did not take account of the way offshore wind farms could impede mobile drilling rigs, disrupt 

helicopter flights and get in the way of pipelines and underwater equipment. "It would be most 

unfortunate if individual licensees were forced to resort to legal processes in order to defend the 

rights granted under their existing petroleum licences," Oil and Gas UK's submission said. (Source: 

OSO) 

NOTICE OF CONDOLENCE 

YARD NEWS 

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It is with deep regret that we announce that three of our colleagues were killed in a terrible plane 

crash in Cuba in the evening of Thursday 4 November 2010. Our sincerest condolences go out to 

their families and close relatives, as well as to the families of the other victims. Damen is further 

not available for additional information. (Source: Damen) 

DUTCH COMPANIES INVEST IN SAFETY STANDBY VESSELS 

The Dutch companies GloMar Shipmanagement BV and Rederij Groen BV have teamed up to 

order two safety standby vessels which will be dual certified according to UKOOA and NOGEPA 

rules. The new vessels are designed by Glomar Shipmanagement BV and will be equipped with 

green engines according latest IMO TIER 2 standards. The first vessel is due to be delivered in 

August 2011, with the second vessel in October 2011. The new vessels will be 42m overall with a 

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beam of 11m, depth of 4.70m, maximum draft of 4.10m, and will have two 875kW main engines. 

They will have a design speed of 12 knots, deck area of 160m², WDL of 5t/ m², and will be 

certified Lloyds 100 A1, safety stand-by vessel, offshore supply vessel, oil recovery, ICE class 1E, 

UKOOA class B, Nogepa 120 survivors. (Source: OSO) 

SEALINK SECURES CONTRACT FOR OSV PAIR 

Sealink International, a wholly owned subsidiary of Sealink Engineering and Shipway, has secured 

a contract to build two offshore support vessels. The contract is worth $11.8m and the vessels will 

be delivered in the fourth quarter of 2010. The Malaysian shipbuilder declined to name the buyer 

behind these latest newbuild orders, but did confirm they were for an external client. Sealink, 

which owns two shipyards in Miri and Sarawak of Malaysia, said the contract will contribute 

positively to its earnings and assets this year. (Source: Ship-Technology) 

INCAT CROWTHER TO BUILD A 63-FT MONOHULL CREWBOAT 

Incat Crowther announced a contract to design a 63-ft Monohull Crewboat to be built by VeeCraft 

Marine in South Africa. The vessel is characterized by its large foredeck, which has 27sqm of cargo 

space. The bow features a passenger boarding area for safe and efficient transfers to offshore 

factilites. A dedicated passageway is located to the port side, directly accessing the main passenger 

cabin. This cabin has comfortable seating for 25 passengers, and a bathroom. There is a rescue zone 

situated over the large aft platform. Below decks, the vessel has 4 crew berths, a galley and mess 

and a bathroom. The vessel will be powered by a pair of MAN 284 LE 413 main engines, each 

producing 1000hp @ 2100 rpm. The vessel will have a loaded service speed of 25 knots and a 

maximum speed in excess of 30 knots. In addition to this vessel, Incat Crowther has two x 91.8-ft 

Wave Piercing Catamarans and three x 57.4-ft Catamarans under construction. This vessel brings 

to 10 the number of offshore energy service vessels under construction to Incat Crowther‘s designs. 

In total, Incat Crowther currently has over 30 vessels under construction across a wide range of 

uses. Specifications – 63-ft Monohull Crewboat. Principal dimensions: Length, o.a 63 ft. Length, 

w.l. 60.7 ft. Beam, o.a. 18.5 ft. Draft (hull) 3.6 ft. Depth 9.8 ft. Construction marine grade 

aluminium. Capacities: Fuel oil 1,375 gal. Fresh water 343 gal. Sullage 80 gal. Passengers 25 

Crew 4. Propulsion and performance: Speed (service) 25 knots. Speed (max) 30 knots. Main 

engines 2 x MAN 284 LE 413. Power 2 x 735kW @ 2,100rpm. Propulsion 2 x Hamilton 

HM521 Waterjets. Generators 1 x Perkins 4.4gM, 48 kVA. Regulatory. Flag Nigeria. �Class / 

Survey Bureau Veritas HULL MACH Crew Boat Sea Area 2. (Source: MarineLink) 

CARGOTEC WINS FURTHER AHTS KIT CONTRACT 

Sinopacific Group has contracted Cargotec to supply a further 16 sets of anchor-handling systems 

for newbuild anchor handling and tug supply vessels. The equipment is due for delivery between 

April 2011 and February 2012. In June Cargotec won an order for systems for four ships in the 

same series, the first set of which is scheduled for delivery in 1Q 2011. The vessels, based on an 

SPA80 design, are under construction at Zhejiang Shipyard for French offshore oil and gas services 

company Bourbon. ―The systems employ proven technologies already specified for 54 Bourbon 

Liberty 200 series AHTS vessels, of which more than 30 have been delivered so far,‖ said Francis 

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Wong, Cargotec sales director for offshore load handling. Equipment being supplied includes 

anchor windlass, anchor handling/towing winch, tugger winches, capstans, storage reel, power 

pack, and shark jaws/towing pins. (Source; Offshore Magazin) 

WEBSITE NEWS 

HTTP://WWW.TOWINGLINE.COM 

ARE YOU ALSO INTERES T ED IN THIS FREE TUGS TOW ING & OFFSHO RE NEWSLETTER. 

PLEASE VIS IT THE WEBS ITE W W W.TO W I N G L I N E . C O M AND S UBSCRIBE YOURSE LF FOR FREE 

Last week there have been new updates posted: 

1. Several updates on the News page posted last week: 

� Atlas Jaymar do Brasil Celebrates 5th Anniversary 

� RAmpage 5000 Class Offshore Support Vessel ―Smit Siyanda‖ Delivered 

� Maiden Voyage of the BRAtt 

� Damen Fast Ferry 4212 ―Seastar‖ for South-Korea 

� Blaze still burning after six days on fish processing vessel off Cornish 

� Stornoway Coastguard Co-ordinate assistance to drifting vessel 

� Westerbaen Trading BV arranged Tug Transport 

2. On the fleetlist page is posted last week: 

� Ulstein Hatlo – Ulsteinvik Tugs of the UT-505 series 

3. On the photo page the follow pictures are added last week 

Tugs: 

� Mangystau 2 Transport – Galati; October 21, 2010, - Romania 

� Mangystau – Galati; October 21, 2010, - Romania 

� Someri – Galati; October 21, 2010, - Romania 

� Lainici – Galati; October 21, 2010, - Romania 

Please note that my e-mail address has changed into jvds@towingline.com 

This site is intended to be collective exchange of information. Information on this site has been pulled from many sources; we have 

attempted to credit these sources. But due to the multitude of sources sometimes we are unable to note all the sources. If you feel that 

material that is posted here is of your authorship and you have not been credited properly please alert us and I will correct the credit or 

remove it in accordance to the author's wishes. 

DISCLAIMER 

The compiler of the Tugs Towing & Offshore Newsletter disclaim all liability for any loss, damage or expense however caused, arising 

from the sending, receipt, or use of this e-mail communication and on any reliance placed upon the information provided through this 

free service and does not guarantee the completeness or accuracy of the information. For more information about advertising, 

subscription, preferences and un-subscription visit the website: http://www.towingline.com. The Tugs Towing & Offshore Newsletter 

is a ::JVDS-MARCOL:: Archive Production. 

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