New ice-class tug acquired for Russian project towage

Russia-headquartered project towage and heavy-lift specialist Beluga has acquired a new ice-class EuroTug from Netherlands shipbuilder Neptune Marine to raise its fleet to four tugboats. Beluga Bremen has an overall length of around 27 m and beam of about 10 m. It has a bollard pull of 40 tonnes and anchor handling winch with 100 tonnes capacity.

Beluga’s EuroTug 2710 was built to ice-class 1B standards and winterised package enabling it to operate in low-temperature areas. Neptune upgraded the tug before delivery with two moon pools and steel protection plates for its anchor handling operations.

Beluga provides project logistics in Russia and former Soviet Union countries, with offices in Moscow, St Petersburg and Novorossiysk and representative offices in Europe, including in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, and Milan in Italy. In 2019, Beluda acquired EuroTug 3010 vessel Bremen Rotterdam from Neptune Marine adding to its a fleet of sea barges and tugboats.

Earlier in July, Neptune Marine delivered a shallow-draught EuroTug 3515 to France-based Thomas Services Maritime. TMS Ouessant, with a bollard pull of 44 tonnes, will be used for a diverse range of port and coastal operations.

Also in Russia, Rosmorport has taken delivery of four ice-class tugs and two hybrid-electric propulsion workboats to enhance vessel handling in far east ports. It is operating three Arc4 azimuth stern drive (ASD) tugboats in the seaport of Vladivostok.

Rosmorport has also taken delivery of two Ice3 R2 workboats and another Arc4 ASD tug in the port of Vanino. These ASD tugboats were designed and built by Netherlands-headquartered Damen Shipyards.

Tug propulsion and alternative technology will be discussed in depth during Riviera’s Maritime Hybrid, Electric and Fuel Cells Webinar Week, which begins on 27 July. Use this link for more details and to register for webinars