Powerful tug for safer large vessel handling

On 13th March, Damen Shipyards Group signed a contract with South Port New Zealand Limited for the delivery of a Damen Azimuth Tractor Tug (ATD) 2412 to operate at South Port’s Bluff Port.

The port currently operates two tugs with a combined BP of 75t. The 65t BP vessel will replace the 35t BP Hauroko, which has been operating at the port since April 2000. This will bring the port’s total bollard pull capability up to 105t, increasing safety margins in the handling of large vessels.

South Port chairman, Rex Chapman, stated: “This is the single largest capital expenditure decision the Company has made since it was established in 1989.”

Nigel Gear, chief executive, said: “The Covid-19 pandemic has made the exercise of purchasing a new tug more complex. However, the team has done an excellent job of working through this process and selecting the Damen Tug.”

Due to Damen’s practice of building standardised vessels in series and for stock, the ATD Tug 2412 was already being built at Damen Song Cam Shipyard in Vietnam at the time of contract signing. The yard will complete construction and deliver the vessel in Q3 this year.