Two new tugboats have been added to the Humber fleet of SMS Towage.
The Hessle-based maritime firm has invested once more to replace older, less efficient vessels, bringing further capability in the handling of bulk carriers and super tankers.
Trueman and Kingsman, Ramparts 2200 class sister tugs, each boast two Caterpillar 1,500kw diesel engines, and will be deployed to manoeuvre the large estuary arrivals onto the jetties and terminals at Hull and Immingham.
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Paul Escreet, chairman of SMS Towage, said: “For many years, the Humber Estuary has been the busiest trading area in the UK. It has a fast and powerful tide and so there needs to be a fleet of powerful tugs available to ensure that vessels are able to manoeuvre and berth safely.
“This latest investment in our fleet means we can provide our loyal customers with more modern and environmentally friendly tugs at the Humber ports, strengthening the existing fleet to meet our specific operational needs.”
SMS, launched 30 years ago, is the UK’s largest independent towage company, providing berthing support and assistance to the North Sea offshore oil and renewable energy sector. It has again turned to the Turkish Sanmar Shipyards, from where it welcomed the fleet’s 20th vessel a year ago. Prior to puchase they had been part of Sanmar's own fleet.
Based on a design by Canadian naval architectural practice Robert Allen Ltd, they are 22.4m long, with a 10.8m beam and 4.85m draft. Both can achieve bollard pulls of 52 tons ahead and 49 tons astern, with a free running speed of 11.5 knots. The tugs’ tank capacities include approximately 72 sq m of fuel oil, 10.8 sq m of fresh water and a 2.4 sq m foam tank. A fire-fighting pump is driven through clutched flexible coupling in front of each main engine with a capacity of 1,200m3/hour.
The company has now supplied 14 vessels, since the Scotsman in 2008. Ruchan Civgin, commercial director at Sanmar Shipyards, said: “We have had a long term, mutually beneficial relationship with our friends at SMS Towage and we are delighted that we can once again provide them with the type of tugboats that fit their successful business’s specific operational needs. Our popular Ramparts 2200 class tugs are compact, highly manoeuvrable workhorse tugs that get the job done time after time. Our relationship with SMS Towage goes back a long way, and it is always pleasing when they come back to us again and again when enhancing their tug fleet."
SMS turned to Hull firm Andrew Jackson Solicitors to advise on the undisclosed deal, with Mr Escreet describing the shipping team as its “trusted advisors for such matters”. Rebecca Forder and Dominic Ward’s valuable help and advice was highlighted.
Mr Ward, senior partner and head of the shipping and transport team, said: “We have worked with SMS Towage for over two decades and we are absolutely delighted to have been able to secure the vessels’ smooth transition into the UK registry, as SMS continues to go from strength to strength.”
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