Damen wins Australian tug deal

Engage Marine will operate the three tugs, providing towage services for the Port of Abbot Point. The company has recently been awarded a Non-Exclusive Towage Licence by North Queensland Bulk Ports Corporation.

The ASD Tug 3212 has an 85 tonnes bollard pull and is part of Damen’s standardised portfolio, meaning the tug can be rapidly delivered. All three are scheduled for delivery in Q3 this year.

Engage Marine chief executive, Mark Malone, said that Damen was a world class tug builder. “The ASD 3212 vessels are a proven design, well suited to the prevailing conditions of this operation,” he said.

“Damen’s ability to deliver on time, high quality assets with dedicated support during the build, delivery process and locally, once in operation, give us confidence in reliability from the start.

“The design promotes crew comfort, operational capability and energy efficiencies, all high on Engage Marine’s list of providing sustainable towage services. A modular approach to IMO tier III NOx requirements also means we can deliver on environmental commitments well into the future,” he added.