New tugboat christened
A new tugboat, the Spinola, was christened by Mrs Catherine Gonzi this evening.
The new 80 tonnes Bollard Pull harbour and escort/terminal tug is the latest addition to Tug Malta’s present fleet of six modern tugs.
It was ordered from the Spanish Shipyard Armon S.A. and was primarily designed to operate in the Maltese harbours and their approaches.
The tug is fully equipped with Fire-Fighting Class 1, oil recovery and salvage equipment and Voith Schneider propulsion and twin MAK main engines able to give a total power of 7180 BHP, resulting in the powerful bollard pull of 80 tonnes.
Its winch is a double drum in waterfall arrangement, having the upper drum for long distance purposes with a drum capacity of 1,000 metre steel wire rope. The tug also has a lower drum divided into two sections, one for escorting purposes (capacity 250 metres of synthetic rope) and one for harbour towing (capacity 150 metres of synthetic rope).
The vessel was delivered to Malta from Spain under the command of Capt. Herman Thornton, Tug Malta’s operations manager and manned by a Maltese crew. She will be based in Malta and will carry out both harbour towage services and salvage/off port towage services.
Tug Malta chairman John Sullivan said that since Rimorchiatori Riuniti Group acquired the majority shareholding in Tug Malta, they invested over €100 million to acquire all shares and to place orders for this tug and two Anchor Handling Supply vessels currently under construction in Spain and expected to be delivered in the second quarter of 2010.
Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said the €10.7 million investment would further enhance Malta’s potential in the maritime sector.
He promised that the government would continue to create the right conditions leaving the private sector to invest and grow in other areas of the maritime sector.
It would also be seeing to the further regeneration of Grand Harbour.
The government was also investing €10 million in dredging works for the ports to continue to fulfil their function.
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E Gatt
Nov 15th 2009, 12:19
@ j. cardona
Quoting from above:
"She will be based in Malta and will carry out both harbour towage services and salvage/off port towage services."
Does that answer your question?
Lzammit
Nov 15th 2009, 11:00
Anthony Dimech: It seems that the Spaniards got paid and they delivered without any hiccups!! Well done Tug Malta.
Joseph Cachia
Nov 15th 2009, 00:22
@ J. CARDONA
WHAT a QUESTION in a Comment.
With a power of 7180 shp and 80 tons bollard pull what you expect, will only operate in a swimming pool ??
Will and capable to operate anywhere according to requirments
ms g hoare
Nov 15th 2009, 00:19
@ ANYBODY please correct me if i am wrong , but the dockyards in Malta did not build ships they only repaired them , please dont jump on me im just asking a question to according of what Mr A Dimech said , AND again i thought that all the money payed for the X workers is coming out of the Euro fund
Ray Zammit
Nov 14th 2009, 23:54
Just for the record Anthony Dimech,they r not patrol boats that have been ordered from Spain,but Sophisticated Anchor Handing Supply Vessels.And it is not government owned Tug Malta but Foreign Company.
A. Borg
Nov 14th 2009, 23:07
So ,we sack the Drydocks workers,we give them thousands of euros compensation from our pockets and then we pay millions of euros to the Spaniards to build us 4 patrol boats! Is this Mickey mouse island or is it not:?
j. cardona
Nov 14th 2009, 20:24
will the spinola be used at maltese ports or only for offshore operations?