Op zondag 26 november 2023 hebben wij de laatste strook geplaatst van het stripverhaal 'Kappie en de wierlozen'.Met ingang van zondag 3 december 2023 zal de Facebook-pagina van het Nationaal Sleepvaart Museum, dus elke week (ook weer op zondag) worden gesierd met een strook van het stripverhaal 'Kappie en de sleepsteler'.Vanaf die zelfde datum zal dit verhaal ook wekelijks geupdate worden via de website van het Nationaal Sleepvaart Museum. Deze strip, over een sleepbootkapitein, maakt deel uit van de nalatenschap van Marten Toonder en de auteursrechten zijn en blijven dan ook eigendom van de 'Stichting het Toonder Auteursrecht'. Dankzij de…
Sunday, 19 November 2023 12:35

Opening tentoonstelling "Afgeschilderd"

Afgeschilderd ….SCHILDERKUNST UIT EIGEN DEPOT…. Onder de titel ‘Afgeschilderd’ zijn vanaf 25 november 2023 topstukken te zien uit het depot van het Nationaal Sleepvaart Museum die normaal niemand te zien krijgt. Aanleiding voor deze wisseltentoonstelling is de schenking aan het museum door de enige vrouwelijke maritiem schilder van Nederland, Lenie Simons-Molenwijk van een tiental fraaie schilderijen van haar hand. Deze schilderijen staan centraal op de tentoonstelling. De schilderijencollectie van het Sleepvaart Museum is te groot om in zijn geheel uit het depot te halen. Daarom hebben de leden van het tentoonstellingsteam ieder hun meest favoriete schilderijen uitgekozen waarmee een gevarieerde…
Wie of welk bedrijf in de regio Maassluis e.o beschikt over opslagruimte die voor langere tijd niet in gebruik is? Het Nationaal Sleepvaart Museum is dringend op zoek naar een dergelijke gratis of voor haar betaalbarelocatie ten behoeve van het onderbrengen van een gedeelte van het archief, vitrines en transportkisten. Er worden weinig eisen aan gesteld. De ruimte moet wel droog zijn, redelijk verlicht zijn of kunnen worden en gedurende normale werktijden enkele malen per jaar toegankelijk zijn voor medewerkers van het museum.Als het even kan, zouden wij graag beschikken over 50m2 of meer.Het zou ook mooi zijn als er ook stellingen of kasten in staan en de ruimte afsluitbaar is voor toegang…
Tuesday, 23 May 2023 17:33

Ton Kooren ontvangt

TON KOOREN RECEIVES PRESTIGIOUS ITS LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD 2023 Father of ‘Tugnology’ honoured at Riviera Maritime Media’s TUGTECHNOLOGY ’23in Rotterdam On 22 May, Ton Kooren, founder of Kotug International and inventor of the Rotortug, was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award bestowed by the prestigious maritime sector magazine, InternationalTug & Salvage. The award, presented at the Postillion Hotel Rotterdam by Sanmar Shipyards board chairman Ali Gurun, recognised Ton Kooren’s contribution for his outstanding significance to the international tug industry during his lifetime. Ton Kooren (86 years), the third generation of the Kooren family in the towage business, is renowned for…
Friday, 12 May 2023 14:15

Nieuw boek: Bergen Slepen op Zee

Bergen Slepen op Zee: Een prachtig boek over zeesleepvaart en berging. Kapitein Kees Pronk deed in zijn leven waar veel jongens van dromen: de zeven wereldzeeën bevaren en schepen in nood helpen. Zijn rijkgevulde carrière leest als een avonturenroman, van het slepen van booreilanden, het bergen van brandende olietankers tot de confrontatie aangaan met piraten. ‘Bergen Slepen op Zee’ geeft je een unieke inkijk in een wereld, die de meeste mensen onder ons niet kennen. Een ongemeend boeiend relaas van een niet-alledaags beroep. Kapitein Pronk neemt ons mee in de wereld van ‘Hollands Glorie’. Een verhaal van een jongen, geboren…
Saturday, 25 February 2023 00:41

New exhibition: Building tugboats for abroad

From Tugs Towing & Offshore Newsletter (Hans van der Ster): Foreign clients have always been of great importance to Dutch shipyards. This was and still is the case for towage. As early as 1884, a tugboat was built in the Netherlands for the English account, which was not scrapped until 1963. Further afield, as far as South America and Asia, the fame of tugboats built in the Netherlands was spread because the dredgers and barges for foreign harbor works were brought in by Dutch tugboats. Impressed, the foreign clients ordered such tugs for themselves. An example is the order in 1953 for the construction of the beautifully designed Edgar Bonnet, briefly the strongest…
In March this year, Boskalis was at the center of worldwide media attention on the salvage of the stranded mega container ship Ever Given in the Suez Canal. In collaboration with the Suez Canal Authority, a large group of experts from Boskalis and its subsidiary SMIT Salvage succeeded in refloating the enormous vessel within a week during a spring tide and unblock the canal. This allowed the hundreds of queuing ships to continue their journey and averted a potential disaster for world trade (Lloyd’s List estimated the damage at USD 400 million per hour). At the time of the salvage operation and immediately afterwards, Boskalis…
Wednesday, 05 June 2019 11:36

New book: "Towage in Rapids"

  ‘Towage in Rapids’ or ‘Sleepvaart in Stroomversnelling’ in Dutch, is the newest book by volunteer and former board member of the National Towage Museum, Nico Ouwehand. This new volume reviews and updates the histories of 40 years exchange exhibitions and contains many exclusive photographs from the Museum’s large own collection and many other contributors. The book can therefore be seen as an anthology of all aspects of ‘Dutch Glory’, as the industry is proudly called by Dutch enthusiasts, and of the many companies that made the Dutch Towage industry world famous over some 175 years. The book can be…
Monday, 01 October 2018 15:32

New book "Tug Use in Port" 3rd edition

Tug Use In Port Third EditionCaptain Henk HensenPrice: £40.00 Hardback ITS Club Discount Available of 10%The ABR Company Ltd, www.tugandosv.com. This book is specifically written with the needs of maritime professionals involved in the day-to-day practice and training of ship handling with tugs in mind, particularly pilots, tug masters and training instructors. It should also be of value to towing companies, shipmasters and mates of seagoing vessels and all other persons or organisations involved, one way or another, with tugs and ship handling.Some significant changes have been made in this third edition, including: - The inclusion of several new tug…
The new exhibition "From human hauling to unmanned navigation" in the National Dutch Towage Museum is about the evolution of towing, and can be visited in the period December 2nd, 2017 till May 27th, 2018. The history of towing starts with the so called hauling of vessels by humans or animals. In the 17th century existed a widespread network of hauling services and hauling paths in the Netherlands. On their way to big harbours fore-and-aft rigged fishing boats towed the big V.O.C. ships (United East-Indian Company) over the shallows to the safe harbours. This situation changed radically as a result…
Thursday, 05 October 2017 00:57

Extended exhibition "Tugs on Station"

We are pleased to announce that the current exhibition in the National Dutch Towage Museum titled "Tugs on Station" has been extended till November 26th. A fragment from the exhibition guide:   In October 1922 the oceangoing steam tug ‘Roode Zee’, under the command of the legendary captain Nils Persson, steamed into the Atlantic Ocean with a sealed envelope containing instruction for a type of maritime emergency service that would revolutionize the assistance to ships in distress. Well into the 1980’s the salvage actions of the so called station tugs appealed to the imagination of the maritime industry as well…
Friday, 04 August 2017 00:37

Bring the SMIT-LLOYD 1 back home!

On december 16, 1964 the keel of yardnumber 256 was laid at the shipyard of “De Hoop” at Lobith. The vessel was launched on April 10th, 1965 and received yardnumber 642 to be completed at H.H. Bodewes Shipyards at Millingen. She was christened “Smit-Lloyd 1”. Despite her name she was the second of a series of newly designed type of vessels to accommodate oil rigs and work stations all around the world’s oceans.  The “Smit-Lloyd 1” had a long career. First she sailed under the flag of L. Smit & Co’s Internationale Sleepdienst at Rotterdam. Not much later she became…
Last week the National Dutch Towage Museum could add two new very fine models to her collection. First a model of the harbour tug Jan Goedkoop Jr. and second the Ocean Going Salvage tug Barentsz Zee. The builder Jan Rison, a retired operator, spent more than 500 working hours on each model. Jan Rison said: “I found the Barentsz Zee ten years ago at an antiquary at the Spiegelgracht in Amsterdam when I did some restore work on old ship for him. The model was found in a garbage container and I ask the antiquary why the model was dumped…
Thursday, 08 December 2016 00:43

Book: Bow Tug Operations

The third edition of Capt Henk Hensen's monograph has been updated to include several crucial aspects that play an important role in bow-to-bow operations , such as skeg and stern design. In addition, the author has included suggestions for test trials on a tug's suitability for bow-to-bow operations, with images explaining the trials discussed - all focusing on the safety of tugs, tug crews and attended ships. Informatively illustrated in full colour, Bow Tug Operations is aimed at helping tug captains, ships' masters, pilots, tug operators, marine administrators and fleet managers to identify the potential dangers and ways to avoid…
November 22nd, 2016 The contract has been signed between Van Wijngaarden Marine Services and Damen Shipyards Hardinxveld for the build and delivery of a Damen Shoalbuster 3512, to be named the LINGESTROOM. This will bring the total number of Shoalbusters in the Van Wijngaarden fleet to five including the NOORDSTROOM, also a Shoalbuster 3512, which was delivered in April 2016.     Van Wijngaarden Marine Services operates a modern, 15-strong fleet that delivers a wide range of support and supply services on a global basis to the maritime construction and offshore energy industries as well as port services and towage.  …
Monday, 07 November 2016 15:03

New tug ARASHI for Iskes IJmuiden

The year 2016 promises to be another interesting year for Ijmuiden-based Iskes Towage & Salvage with delivery of a new Damen 2810 tug to report along with progress on its newbuilding EDDY tug also due this year. Before we take a detailed look at the Damen delivery it is worth reminding ourselves of Iskes’ activities. It operates a fleet of around fifteen modern mainly ASD tugs and is active in harbour towage, offshore services and emergency response. Iskes’ harbour towage activities are mainly based at Amsterdam and Ijmuiden, towage provision at the latter dating back to 1928. It is also…
Sunday, 06 November 2016 10:36

Save the SMIT-LLOYD 1

The moment of truth is there. The very last version of the original A-class Smit-Lloyd suppliers is about to disapear. We are talking about the former “Smit-Lloyd 1”, built in 1965 en the second vessel in de Smit-Lloydfleet. Since 2013 operating under the name of “Deep Offshore”. The condition of the ship is excellent but the current owners have decided to take it out of commission due to lack of employment. At this time there are negotiations between a group of passionate shiplovers and the owners to try to get the former “Smit-Lloyd 1” back home and save it from the…
For the installation of a new boiler the steam tugboat NOORDZEE has been towed from Medemblik to Willemsoord Museum Harbour in Den Helder, the Netherlands. The NOORDZEE was built in 1922 at the Janssen & Schmilinsky yard in Hamburg, Germany, and was fitted out with a compound steam engine and Scottish boiler made by Blohm & Voss. The owner of the tug is the Steamtug Noordzee Foundation. The photograph shows the departure of the Noordzee from Medemblik and was pushed by the tugboat Zeeleeuw. (Tugs, Towing & Offshore Newsletter).
Wednesday, 26 October 2016 14:15

Tug STEENBANK saved from demolition

A joint action from two entrepreneurs with a large dedication for the Dutch tug and towing heritage and a group of dedicated volunteers have made it possible to save the 1250 HP coastal / Harbour tug Steenbank (build 1960 ) from final demolition. Sunday October 23 the Tugboat port Maassluis was enjoying a great moment when the Tug Albatros (build 1959 ) also voluntarily towed the crippled Steenbank into the Outer harbour after a successful towage trip from IJmuiden. The Steenbank was assisted by the former Smit harbour tug Maassluis (1948). By welcoming the Steenbank, Maassluis Tugboat harbour is consisting…
The tug Steenbank this week recounted the demolition yard Treffers in Haarlem to the Jetty of Iskes in IJmuiden where the ship will be made ready for the transport to Maassluis. The first Europoort tug with an installed engine power of 1,250 HP will be renovated in its former repair/maintenance port Maassluis and completely restored to its original NRS (Nieuwe Rotterdamse Sleepdienst) colors. The name NRS comes back again as the owner of the ship has chosen the initials in a name. To know Nostalgic Rotterdam Tugs. The tug was built in 1960 by Scheepswerf v/h H.H. Bodewes – Millingen;…
Wednesday, 28 September 2016 12:08

Harbour tug ARGUS for sale

It is reported that the 1955 built Dutch harbour tug Argus is for sale at a bankruptcy auction. The ug is berthed in Hendrik Ido Ambacht; Netherlands. The tug was built by NV Scheepswerf v/h H.H. Bodewes – Millingen; Netherlands under number 495 and delivered to L. Smit & Co's Internationale Sleepdienst Maatschappij – Rotterdam as Argus. In 1972 transferred to Smit Internationale Havensleepdiensten BV- Rotterdam. In 1985 sold to Juillit Overseas Corp Ltd. – Panama and renamed Argus 1. In nthe same year arrested after a wild pursuit by Dutch river-police near Hoek van Holland for drugs-traffic, chained at…
Calls are being made for a Hull museum dedicated to tugs and a famous city firm. In its heyday, United Towing Company Ltd employed around 500 people and boasted a fleet of around 30 docking and river tugs, and 12 ocean-going salvage tugs. But Michael Hussey, chairman of the United Towing and Salvage Society, believes more needs to be done to recognise the contribution tugs made to Hull. He said: "It is disappointing to me personally, and the society in general, that so little has been made by the city to promote this fantastic and relevant maritime history and heritage.…
Monday, 19 September 2016 16:01

Mersey Tugs Through Time

The main role of the tug is to assist vessels in the river or within the dock system by moving them by pushing or towing. They are also used to tow barges or platforms which have no engines or methods of propulsion. Tugs are designed to be highly manoeuvrable and powerful as they normally work with large vessels in restricted spaces. The main towing companies operating on the Mersey in the twentieth century were J. & J. H. Rea Limited, Liverpool Screw Towing Company and the Alexandra Towing Company Limited. Mersey tugs were employed to work with passenger liners, cargo…
Tuesday, 30 August 2016 11:28

Exhibition: Artist's Impressions of Towage

Sunday September 18th is the last day of the exhibition "MEESLEPENDE EXPRESSIES" (Artist's impressions of towage) in the National Dutch Towage Museum in Maassluis. The show has been a success until now and has seen many an interested visitor. A number of exposed art works have been sold, and some others are still for sale.   From Saturday September 24 a new exposition opens, titled "Tugboat FURIE 100 years", about the life and times of this famous ship, that plays a central role in the moving story "Dutch Glory" of author Jan de Hartog and in the film about that…
Monday, 22 August 2016 14:29

History of Rhine towage Vulcaan company

The Dutch Society of Inland Shipping (VERENIGING DE BINNENVAART)  comes with a special edition about the VULCAAN Rhine shipping company."Who could ever have foreseen this? On January 1, 1968 the merger took place of the two largest competitors from the SHV and Thyssen concerns, N.R.V. (Dutch shipping society) and Vulcaan, who imitated each other so often in introducing new ships and organisation concepts". This sentence was written by Jan van 't Verlaat in a remarkable edition of the magazine of the (Dutch) Inland shipping society (Vereniging ‘De Binnenvaart'), fully dedicated to Vulcaan Shipping. This book, a special about N.V. Handels- en Transportmaatschappij Vulcaan", is part of a series by The…
Saturday, 06 August 2016 14:12

Iskes tug TELSTAR on trials

On Thursday 18th August 2016 the new building Eddy design 24/75 tug TELSTAR from the Holland Shipyard was seen passing underway to the Rotterdam Europort for her technical trails, speed and bollard pull tests. The tug named TELSTAR was built for Iskes Towage and Salvage. The TELSTAR is named after a local soccer club in IJmuiden. The TELSTAR has 2 thrusters. It is remarkable that both thrusters are mounted in alignment under the fuselage - one under the prow and one under the stern. As a result, the Telstar has extensive maneuvering options. Another unique feature of the Telstar is…
Sunday, 24 July 2016 15:05

Three Damen hybrid tugs for Dutch Navy

In an official handover ceremony at the Den Helder Naval Base, the Royal Netherlands Navy took formal delivery of three Damen ASD 2810 Hybrid tugs. In addition to providing an increase in ship handling capacity, the new vessels are also installed with hybrid propulsion systems. This will contribute to Dutch Ministry of Defence ambitions regarding sustainable operations of the Navy.   The acquisition of the three Damen tugs is part of the Royal Netherlands Navy’s ongoing fleet renewal programme. The hybrid vessels, named Noordzee, Waddenzee and Zuiderzee, can sail under diesel-direct, diesel-electric or fully-electric power.   Zero emissions This will…
Sunday, 12 June 2016 15:33

In Memorial Ary Lels

While being on holiday I received the sad message that Mr. Ary M. Lels passed away at the age of 90 years.  A couple of years ago in several maritime magazines I had the honour of publicing articles about the life and visions of Mr. Lels. On several occasions I met him, although it was long after his active career as a director of L. Smit & Co’s Internationale Sleepdienst and later on of the Holland America Line. After his retirement he kept on following the developments in every field of the maritime market. He started his career as a…
Friday, 03 June 2016 19:14

Book Market day in Maassluis June 25th

Every year in summer you can visit the Maassluis book market in the open air. This market is part of the cultural life in Maassluis.The National Dutch Towage Museum also will open her doors at 13.30 h. We provide for an attractive and affordable supply of interesting maritime books, especially about Dutch towage and tugs, photographs and other towage curiosa.Of course our salespeople are prepared to tell you all about the museum and the towage activities in The Netherlands.The book market will take place on Saturday June 25th 2016. The location is the parking lot near the Schuurkerk (the old barn…
Coastal Shipping Publications issued their latest tugs album. This latest Tugs pictorial album Volume 2, documents some of the smaller tugs that used to be seen in Bristol City Docks plus some of the rarer and larger tugs that have paid only one or two visits to the port in recent years. Each photograph is accompanied by an informative caption. The book is a 235 x 155 mm softback edition 64 pages in full colour ISBN 9781902953700. The price is £9.95 and can be ordered  on the link:\r\nhttps://www.coastalshipping.co.uk/tugs-and-towage/1433-bristol-tugs-in-colour-volume-2-9781902953779.html\r\n\r\n\r\nStock Code\r\nBMB77.0\r\n\r\nAuthor\r\nMcCall B\r\n\r\nISBN13\r\n9781902953779\r\n\r\nHeight(mm)\r\n156\r\n\r\nWidth(mm)\r\n235\r\n\r\nPage Count\r\n64\r\n\r\nPictures\r\n60\r\n\r\nPublication Date\r\n9 May 2016\r\n\r\nPublisher\r\nBERNARD McCALL\r\n\r\nPublication Status\r\nAvailable\r\n\r\n\r\n
Tuesday, 31 May 2016 00:12

Sailing Day Maassluis

Saturday, 21th May 2016, the traditional sailing day in Maassluis took place, as every two years by the end of May. The event had been organized by the Towage harbour Maassluis Foundation (Stichting Sleepboothaven Maassluis). ‘Sailing day’ means that any person interested in towage can buy a ticket to do a harbourtrip in the neighbourhood of Maassluis on one of the museumtugs and salvagevessels that usually can be found in our local port, viz. Furie (1916), Elbe (1959) and the salvagevessel Bruinvisch (1937). Also proudly sailing were the small tug Maassluis (1948) as well as Adriaan (1957). Hudson (1938), this time…
Tuesday, 31 May 2016 00:08

Two Dutch naval tugs out of service

The former Dutch naval tugs A 874 Linge and A 875 Regge are moored at Damen Shipyards Den Helder. The tugs are decommissioned and will be prepared for delivery to their new owner MTS Marine & Towage Services. The tugs are replaced by the brand-new naval tugs A 871 Noordzee and A 872 Waddenzee, both of the type Damen ASD Tug 2810 Hybrid.(Source Paul Schaap, via Tugs, Towing & Offshore Newsletter  ) 
The Dutch-based shipping company, Vroon, has announced the launch of its new AHTS vessel, the VOS Character. Vroon announced via social media that the launch took place last Thursday, May 12, at the Fujian Southeast Shipyard in Fuzhou, China. VOS Character is a 65 meters long, 6,500 horsepower, DP-2, anchor-handling tug supply vessel and the fourth in a series of such vessels being built at the shipyard for Vroon. The VOS Champion, VOS Chance and VOS Challenge are the remaining three newbuilds for 2016 while the VOS Charisma and VOS Charm are expected in 2017. The company also said that…
The first of Damen’s new Shoalbuster 3512 class was recently handed over to Dutch marine services specialist Van Wijngaarden Marine Services B.V. in the port of Boven-Hardinxveld, the Netherlands. At the ceremony the Lady Sponsor Mrs. Elske de Bruijn-de Vries officially named the vessel and made a widely-appreciated speech praising the technical capabilities of the vessel. Mrs. Elske de Bruijn-de Vries is the wife of Mr. C.A. (Niels) de Bruijn, a member of the executive board of Van Oord, and is well-known for her role in the TV show ‘Het mooiste meisje van de klas’. At 35 metres in length…
ALP STRIKER, named at a ceremony held named on May 13, 2016, is the first of four ultra-long distance towing and anchor handling vessels for ALP Maritime Services, each with a bollard pull of approximately 300 metric tons. The vessels of the SX157 design are a part of the ALP Future class. Service speed is 13 knots, while their top speed is 19 knots. With a fuel capacity of more than 3,500 cubic meters, they can tow at full power for 45 days, sufficient for nonstop Trans-Atlantic/Indian, Pacific Ocean towing operations without fuel calls. The vessels are constructed by Niigata Shipbuilding…
Wednesday, 11 May 2016 12:11

GSS adds WIL S. to its Shoalbuster fleet

(By Peter Barker) GSS Marine Services has increased its Damen tug fleet with the recent christening of the Shoalbuster 3209 'Wil S' at the builder's yard at Hardinxveld, the Netherlands. UK-headquartered GSS Marine Services is an expanding company providing marine construction and support services globally. Involved in a number of sectors including diving support and the offshore renewables industry it was founded with the aim of providing high-quality plant and labour to the Royal Navy. Its continuing relationship with the Ministry of Defence includes as a prime contractor at the Faslane Facility (nuclear submarine base). Photo: Michael Kodde © Based…
Wednesday, 11 May 2016 11:45

New SAAM (Smit) tug RAMBALA

SAAM SMIT Towage (SST), a joint venture between SAAM and Royal Boskalis Westminster which operates in Canada, Mexico Panama and Brazil, has received a new tugboat to join its fleet in Panama. Built in Rumania by Damen shipyard, SST Rambala belongs to the ASD 2913 series and is characterized by being a compact, maneuverable and powerful tugboat, ideal for crowded ports and waterways with limited space, as well as including firefighting capacity, SST said. The new vessel has a length of 29 meters, CAT 3516C 6772 BHP at 1,800 rpm (total) engines, and an 83 tons bollard pull. It will…
Thursday, 28 April 2016 16:27

Tug TRITON rebuilt with Lego®

Last week (april 2016) Master Lego® shipbuilder Edwin Korstanje delivered a new Lego® model that was built in commission for Iskes Towage. The replica of the TRITON was built on scale 1/62 with almost 6000 Lego® parts and has an open visible engine room, with two ABC engines and two Scania generators, independent working winches, folding crane and 55 mini leds and many other details. If you are also interested in a Lego model of your ship, please contact Master Lego® shipbuilder Edwin Korstanje via +316-53688698 or by email via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.\r\ntaken from: Piet Sinke Maasmond News
KOTUG International B.V. (KOTUG) and Royal Boskalis Westminster N.V. (Boskalis) have announced that they have successfully formalized a joint venture for their European harbour towage operations. The joint operations are transferred to a 50/50 joint venture, combining the European harbour towage activities of KOTUG and Boskalis' subsidiary SMIT. In order to retain both strong brand names and to benefit from the already well established brand recognition in Europe, the merged operations will operate under the entity 'KOTUG SMIT TOWAGE'. The operational integration will start on April 7th, 2016. With a fleet of 65 tugboats, KOTUG SMIT TOWAGE will be a…
Wednesday, 20 April 2016 16:48

Trials multicat ZWERVER II

NAMING CEREMONY ZWERVER IIOn the 28th of April, 2016 the 'Zwerver II' was named. The Name giving Ceremony took place at her home port in Harlingen, the Netherlands. HVS Dredging Support looks back on a festive event. The Zwerver II is an unique Multi-Purpose "Walkto-Work" support vessel and is equipped with DP II, 4-point mooring, a crane of 510 Tm with an active heave compensated winch, a conventional crane of 370 Tm and a passive heave compensated gangway for the purpose of transferring crew to windmills/platforms. The Ships pulling force is 65 T which is exceptional with a depth of…
Monday, 04 April 2016 00:44

7 SMIT tugs changed flag

It has been reported that Friday 25th March 2016, seven Smit tugs were reflagged from the Bahama to Malta flag. The tugs are the five ASD 2810 tugs SMIT ELBE, SMIT HUDSON, SMIT SCHELDE, SMIT SEINE and SMIT EBRO, as well as the two ASD 3213 tugs SMIT CHEETAH and SMIT PANTHER. The technical adjustments like MMSI and radio survey were carried out. The tugs are on the AIS already observed.(source: Tugs and Towage Newsletter / Hans van der Ster)
Sunday, 03 April 2016 14:09

WATERMAN (1984) SOLD TO RUSSIA

It is reported that the 1984 built Dutch registered with call sign PIMU tug WATERMAN (Imo 8318166) from Royal Wagenborg Sleepdiensten – Delfzijl; Netherlands has been sold to Russian owners. She was spotted under the Russian flag as MB LINTER 2. The tug was built by Scheepswerf H.H. Bodewes B.V. Millingen a/d Rijn and outfitted at Scheepswerf Damen BV – Gorinchem under respectively yard numbers 773 and 8642. In 1987 delivered to Wagenborg as the second under this name Waterman. She has a length of 28.48 mtrs a beam of 9.15 mtrs and a depth of 4.27 mtrs. The two MWM…
The champagne flowed freely as Smit Lamnalco celebrated the naming and blessing of the latest additions to its fleet of tug boats. The Smit Lamnalco tugs for the LNG Gladstone project were christening on the 23rd March 2016. The vessels are named SL Curtis Island; SL Quoin Island, SL Boyne Island; SL Heron Island and SL Wiggins Island. The five tugs are built by Sanmar Turkey. The tugboats will service three LNG export terminals in the Port of Gladstone on Australia's east coast. This Robert Allan RAster 3400 series are Bureau Veritas-classed tugs, and are 34 metres long, 14.5 metres…
Risk of capsizing under tow load eliminated; - Unique maneuverability ; - Highly efficient braking and steering operations\r\nIn cooperation with Robert Allan Ltd. (RAL) and Novatug B.V., Voith participated in the development of a new tug. The Carrousel RAVE Tug (CRT) is characterized by a towing winch on a ring. This ring can rotate freely around the tug's deckhouse – a unit referred to as the "Carrousel Towing System". This system eliminates the risk of capsizing under a tow load. In combination with two Voith Schneider Propellers (VSPs) arranged inline, the tug design allows for a slender and highly efficient…
Saturday, 19 March 2016 00:38

Shoalbuster NOORDSTROOM launched

The Shoalbuster 3512 NOORDSTROOM was launched at Gorinchem and moved to Damen Hardinxveld for further fitting out and to get ready for delivery end of April. The NOORDSTROOM ", length 35.00 meters and a width of 12.0 meters, brings a range of benefits: - Bollard Pull of approx. 55 tons at 2.90 meters draft - Extensive working deck of 145 m² - Accommodation up to 11 personnel - Office room for the client, incl. V-Sat connection - Fuel efficient due to three main engines - Sustainable techniques on board, resulting in: "Clean Ship Notation" from Bureau Veritas - "Anchor Handling Notation"…
Tug masters experience the effects of a tug's stability every day when manoeuvring their vessel, either free sailing or when assisting ships. During tug operations, a number of forces and combinations are working on a tug – such as towline, hydrodynamic, steering and propulsion forces – often at or near their maximum with respect to the tug's stability. It is, therefore, not just desirable but necessary for tug masters to have at least a basic idea of the elements of stability. They need to know where the limits are, and what the consequences could be, if the tug or tug…
Wednesday, 24 February 2016 23:26

Damen delivers Dutch Navy tug NOORDZEE

Damen delivers its first hybrid tug boat to the Royal Netherlands Navy on februari 20, 2016.\r\nThe first of a series of three ASD TUGs 2810 Hybrid was navigated into the Den Helder harbour by the Royal Netherlands Navy (RNLN) on Saturday, February 20th. This hybrid tug that bears the name NOORDZEE is almost 29 meters long and is the first standard hybrid tug supplied by Damen that the RNLN will employ.\r\nThe contract for the three ASD tugs emphasises the good cooperative partnership that exists between Damen and the RNLN, as well as their shared vision. Both parties believe in a durable…
Wednesday, 24 February 2016 19:30

Reunion Wijsmuller personnel in IJmuiden

During the 2011 reunion of former employees of Bureau Wijsmuller at IJmuiden, The Netherlands, a promise was made to organise a next reunion in 2016. And, according to a Dutch saying, from a promise originates an obligation. Therefore this site has been opened for the reunion of 2016. This happening is for everyone, and their partners, who has been in the service in the past at Bureau Wijsmuller. Seagoing as well as onshore personnel will be welcome. General information: Date : Saturday april 30th 2016. Location: the Telstar stadium at IJmuiden. Time: Start 13.30 h., closing  at 19.00 h. Entrance fee: € 40,00 per participant. This amount includes the buffet at about 17.00 h and coins…
Wednesday, 24 February 2016 12:04

Smit Lamnalco Cayman & Montserrat sold

It is reported that the 2008 built Damen ASD2810 sisters SL Cayman (Imo 9516284) (ex. Smit Cayman - 2015) and the SL Montserrat (Imo 9516272) (ex. Smit Montserrat - 2015) has been sold to Masco JSC on the first day of February 2016 and renamed respectively Helius and Grumant. Both tugs are built by the Damen Song Cam Shipyard – Vietnam under yard numbers Smit Cayman 511551 and Smit Montserrat 511550. They have a length o.a of 28.67 mtrs a beam of 10.43 mtrs and a draft at sides 4.60 mtrs. The two Caterpillar 3516B TA HD/C diesel engines develops…
Sunday, 21 February 2016 19:12

BosKalis Offshore buys 2 AHTS vessels

It is reported that Boskalis Offshore purchase the two DPII Anchor Handling Tug Supply vessels Sea Bear (Imo 9185932) and Sea Lynx (Imo 9178410) from Deep Sea Supply. The two vessels will be renamed Union Bear and Union Lynx. The AHTS, type KMAR404, will be drydocked this weekend at the Damen Shipyard - Schiedam; Netherlands. The 1999 built sister vessels have a length o.a. of 73.50 mtrs a beam opf 16.40 mtrs and a draught of 6.90 mtrs. The Bear is built by Kværner Kleven Leirvik under number 271 and the Lynx by Kværner Leirvik under number 281. The two…