Turkish shipyard Sanmar has launched the first of a pair of large purpose-built dual fuel methanol escort tugs, believed to be the world’s first, for Kotug Canada.
KOTUG Canada is a partnership between Dutch company Kotug International and Canada’s Horizon Maritime. Based on the RAsalvor 4400-DFM design from Canadian naval architects Robert Allan Ltd, the two new tugs – the first Sanmar has built for Kotug Canada– will service Canada’s Trans Mountain Expansion Project (TMEP), escorting tankers from the harbour limits of the Port of Vancouver to the open Pacific Ocean. They will be the most powerful escort tugs in Canada, capable of achieving 120t bollard pull, while providing significant environmental benefits by reducing GHG emissions and underwater radiated noise.
Kotug Canada has partnered with Sc’ianew First Nation from Beecher Bay, which is strategically located along the shipping route from Vancouver, to provide the service. The partnership is formalised by a Mutual Benefits Agreement that creates long-term economic opportunities, employment, and training for Sc’ianew community members, while incorporating indigenous stewardship and knowledge into marine operations in their traditional waters.
The methanol-fuelled tugs are 44m in length, and have been customised to meet the demanding operational and harsh environmental requirements of this project. Along with escort work, RAsalvor 4400-DFM tugs are designed to provide long range towing, anchor handling, rescue, and salvage. They are equipped with firefighting equipment meeting the requirements of ABS FFV 1 notation and will have the largest spill response capabilities of any tugs on the British Columbia coast.
Ali Gürün, Sanmar Vice Chairman and CEO, said: “The launch of this radically new tug, the first of twins, is an important day for the whole tug industry. It marks a major step forward in the use of alternative fuels to protect our planet. These are among the most powerful tugs ever built, yet have environmental protection at their heart. At Sanmar we are proud to be leading the way to an environmentally-friendly future.”
Ard-Jan Kooren, President and CEO, Kotug International, added: “The launch of the world’s first dual-fuel methanol escort tug is more than a milestone for Kotug Canada— it is a defining moment for the maritime industry. These powerful vessels prove that sustainability and performance can go hand in hand. By investing in clean technologies today, we are shaping the future of towage and paving the way for the industry to follow.”
Sanmar says it has taken a strategic decision to be at the forefront of the tug and towing industry’s move to a new generation of low and no emission tugs, with nine of its ground-breaking all-electric, emissions-free ElectRA harbour tugs now in operation.
Image: Launch of Kotug methanol-fuelled escort tug at Sanmar (source: Sanmar Shipyards)
