Tugboat acquisition aims to address port inefficiencies
Seven tugboats ordered for fleet renewal
SOUTH AFRICA: Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) has announced that it will acquire seven tugboats at a cost of R1 billion as part of a fleet renewal programme aimed at improving marine operations in the ports of Durban and East London.
Marine craft in the two ports have reached the end of their operational lifespan and TNPA has awarded two contracts to Damen Shipyards Cape Town to deliver the seven tugboats from April to August 2024.
From this procured tug fleet, the Port of Durban has been allocated five tugboats and two will go to the Port of East London.
The procured tugboats boast the latest hull design and propulsion, as well as a 60-ton bollard pull which is a much-needed improvement from the bollard pull of the existing tugboats that will be replaced that ranges between 32 and 40-ton bollard pull.
The 60-ton pollard pull meets international standards and makes the craft highly manoeuvrable while guiding larger and newer vessels safely in and out of the ports.
This announcement comes after issuing a tender for five second hand tugs in September last year and it is not clear from TNPA’s statement whether the vessels ordered from Damen are newbuilds or procured from their range of used vessels.
316