10th volume, no

28 Pages·2017·2.17 MB·English

19th Volume, No. 13 1963 – “54 years tugboatman” - 2017 Dated 14 February 2018
Buying, Sales, New building, Renaming and other Tugs Towing & Offshore Industry News
Distribution twice a week 11,850+

M I D W E E K – E D I T I O N
TUGS & TOWING NEWS

CAEN OUISTREHAM 5 COMMENCED TRAILS
In the morning of 13 February 2018
the new Shoalbuster 2308 named
Caen Ouistreham 5 (Imo 9839117)
with yard number 571684
commenced technical trails and
bollard pull tests. The vessel is owned
by CCI Caen – France. She has a
length o.a. of 23.35 mtrs a beam of
8.00 mtrs a and a depth of 2.99 mtrs.
With a brt of 123 tons. Her basic
funtions are Towing, mooring,
pushing, anchor handling, dredge
support operations. The tug is classed
Bureau Veritas I HULL • MACH Tug Unrestricted navigation, AUT UMS national authorities 3rd
category 20 miles. The two Caterpillar C32-TTA Acert engines develops an output of 1,268 bkW
(1,700 bhp) at 1,800 rpm. The free sailing speed is 10,5 knots and the bollard pull 23 tons. (Photo:
Leen van der Meijden)

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GULF ISLAND FABRICATION TO BUILD TUNDRA 3600 FOR SAINT
LAWRENCE SEAWAY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
Robert Allan Ltd. is pleased to announce that the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation
(SLSDC) has awarded a construction contract for a new TundRA 3600 ice class tug to Gulf Island
Fabrication, to be built at their shipyard in Jennings, LA. The SLSDC is a wholly owned US
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19TH VOLUME, NO. 13 DATED 14 FEBRUARY 2018

government corporation tasked with
operating and maintaining the St.
Lawrence Seaway between Massena,
NY and Lake Ontario, within the
territorial limits of the United States.
The tug, which will be based in
Massena, NY, will primarily operate
between the Snell and Eisenhower
locks with typical duties including
icebreaking/ice-management services,
handling navigation aid buoys, and
pushing the SLSDC’s buoy and gate lifter barges. The tug is also capable of secondary roles in fire-
fighting and pollution response. The tug design is of relatively shallow draft, to be classified by ABS
as an Ice Class 1A tug, and incorporates an ice-breaking bow form. It is powered by a pair of EPA
Tier 4 compliant engines with SCR after-treatment, to deliver a bollard pull of approximately 65
long tons via controllable pitch Z-drive propulsion units. The vessel is equipped with a heavy duty
deck crane, a stern roller, shark jaws, and a tugger winch for ease of handling aids to navigation on
the aft working deck. All equipment is rated for operating in the notoriously cold local winter
conditions, and the decks feature a heat tracing system to reduce the accumulation of ice and
improve the safety of crew operations on deck. Barge winches and push knees on the forward deck,
along with a towing winch within an enclosed house aft allow the tug to handle barges off the bow
or the stern, and the elevated wheelhouse provides a commanding view while pushing a barge
ahead. Typical complement will be 4-6 crew, however comfortable accommodations are provided
for up to 14 persons for extended buoy run missions. Principal characteristics of the tug are as
follows: Length, overall: 118’-0” (36.0 m); Beam moulded: 45’-0” (13.7 m); Depth, least moulded: 19’-
7” (6.0 m); Design draft (navigational): 16’-0” (4.9 m); Fuel: 35,000 gal (135 m3); Fresh water: 7,500
gal (28 m3). The tug’s full classification notation is as follows: ABS ✠ A1 Towing Vessel (FF Capable,
BP), Domestic Service, Ice Class 1A, ✠ AMS, ✠ ABCU, IHM. The inventory of hazardous materials
(IHM) class notation, along with the emissions-friendly propulsion package, noise reducing features,
and light pollution response gear aboard will make this tug an especially strong performer from an
environmental standpoint. Production design of the tug is currently well underway, with delivery of
the vessel expected in the summer of 2019. (Press Release)

ENTECH DESIGNS’ FOUNDER FRANK BASILE DEAD AT 93
Naval architect and marine engineer
Frank Basile died this week. For those
in the industry, few would argue that
he was one of the best at what he did.
Basile had the knack. He didn’t do it
from New York, Chicago, Miami,
Seattle or even New Orleans. He
opened his naval architecture and
marine engineering business Entech &
Associates (now Entech Designs LLC)
in the mid-1970s along with a shipyard, Modern Marine Power Inc., in Houma, La., about 60 miles
south of New Orleans. He graduated with an engineering degree from Tulane University in 1947.
During his life he had connections to Higgins Industries, the shipyard that built the landing craft
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19TH VOLUME, NO. 13 DATED 14 FEBRUARY 2018

that carried soldiers to the infamous beaches of the D-Day invasion. (Basile was a naval officer
during World War II.) And he worked at Avondale Shipyard in New Orleans. The first time I talked
to him some 20 years ago he listened to a couple of my questions and
then asked how much I knew about marine engineering and naval
architecture. Not much, I confessed. He didn’t hang up on me. Instead,
he told me that he was trained as an engineer but learned to be a naval
architect by experience — and that I would get better at interviewing
people in the marine industry with experience. Off the record, he was
very gracious and patient and generous with his expertise and his time.
On the record he kept his words to a minimum. In a 2009 interview with
WorkBoat, he was asked to characterize the U.S. oceangoing tug fleet.
His answer: “Old.” He was a master designer especially when it came to
towboats and tugs and a pioneer of the ATB tug. Wherever I traveled for
WorkBoat over the years, shipyard owners knew who he was, even if they didn’t build tugs and
towboats. “I am so grateful for the last 10 years that I’ve known Frank. I’ve had the opportunity to
work for him, learn from him and share in his friendship as many of us have,” said Kimia Jalili, PE,
naval architect at Entech Designs. “His memory will be forever in our hearts. Entech Designs will
strive to keep his legacy alive as our founder and mentor. “Despite the loss, there is some comfort
and solace to know that Frank lived a long and fruitful life filled with achievement,” Jalili added.
“His legacy continues with over 600 vessels of his design currently serving the marine industry all
over the world. I wish he would have lived to be 100 years old, written his life story, and continued
to bless us with his knowledge, experience and passion for his vocation.” (Source: Workboat.com)

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CUBA TOPS LATIN AMERICA TUG PURCHASES
Empresa de Navegación
Caribe of Cuba has acquired
five tugs from Damen
Shipyards, while another
Damen-built tug started
operations in French Guiana.
There have been strong
levels of tugboat fleet
additions in Latin America in
Q4 2017 and the first month
of 2018. Owners are reacting
to the needs to increase their capabilities to handle larger ships and to modernise their fleets by
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19TH VOLUME, NO. 13 DATED 14 FEBRUARY 2018

purchasing new assets. Cuba maritime company Gemar’s subsidiary Empresa de Navegación Caribe
was behind the largest of these tug orders in terms of units purchased in Q4 2017. It has expanded its
towage capabilities with the addition of five tugs to its fleet. Damen Shipyards has delivered four
Stan Tug 2608 design vessels and one 28 m azimuth stern drive (ASD), named Aries II, to the
company, from its construction bases in Vietnam and the Netherlands. It built these tugs in its Song
Cam Shipyard in Vietnam before transporting them to Damen Shipyards Gorinchem where they
were finished and held in stock. It therefore only took three weeks between the orders being
confirmed and the five tugs reaching Cuba. The 26 m Stan tugs are each fitted with an aft winch and
have a bollard pull of 47 tonnes. Aries II is of an ASD 2810 design and has 60 tonnes of bollard pull.
It is equipped with a lifting crane and a fire-fighting system. These five tugs will be based in Havana
but operate around Cuba’s main and subsidiary islands supporting Gemar’s fleet of tankers and roro
ferries. Damen Shipyards was also busy with an order for another ASD tug for South American
operations, delivering a shallow-draught harbour tug to support port activities in French Guiana. It
has supplied an ASD 2310 SD design tug, Papillon, to a joint venture between De Boer Remorquage
and Iskes Towage & Salvage. It was built in 2017 at Damen Shipyards Hardinxveld, in the
Netherlands and in January it started a 12-year contract with Grand Port Maritime de Guyane in the
ports of Cayenne and Kourou in French Guiana. It is assisting vessels entering and leaving the ports
but also conducts survey activities and small transport work. It also provides emergency assistance,
such as fire-fighting. Grand Port Maritime de Guyane consultant Earthcase and Hydro GC and the
French maritime authorities contributed to the design of Papillon. Another Damen-designed and
built tug will be joining it later this year; this one will be a hybrid tug configured to conduct
dredging duties as well. In Peru, Tramarsa is expanding its fleet with a new 24.4 m escort and
harbour tug, which it has ordered from China’s Jiangsu Wuxi Shipyard. This will be a RAmparts
2400-W design unit with 75 tonnes of bollard pull. It will be named Lima and will be classed by ABS
for unrestricted navigation and towage. It will have a FiFi 1 fire-fighting system and engine power
of 4,480 kW from two engines of 2,240 kW each. In Brazil, Wärtsilä has signed a memorandum of
understanding with Petrocity, the parent company of the new port facility being built in São
Mateus, to develop a harbour tug design. This will be based on the Wärtsilä HYTug, which features
hybrid propulsion and energy storage using batteries. It will also have an upgraded developed energy
management system to optimise power distribution and loads. Green tug ordered for Canadian
operations SAAM Smit Towage (SST) has ordered the first tug that meets IMO Tier III emissions
rules in Canada for escort and berthing operations in British Columbia. It has ordered a RAstar 3200-
W design tug from Uzmar Shipyard in Turkey. This 32 m tug will have a bollard pull of more than
80 tonnes, making it the most capable escort-rated, multi-mission tug in both SST Canada’s fleet and
along the entire west coast of Canada. It was designed for conducting berthing, terminal standby
duties and escort duties in heavy weather conditions. (Source: Tug Technology & Business)

GSP SATURN RIG ARRIVES AT ROMANIAN PORT AHEAD OF
RECLASSIFICATION
GSP Saturn jack-up rig, owned by Romanian offshore drilling contractor GSP Offshore, has reached
the Port of Constanta, Romania, ahead of reclassification. GSP Saturn will undergo a reclassification
process, followed by a drilling campaign in the Black Sea and the Marmara Sea. The rig owner said
last week that the rig arrived at the port on Friday, February 9. The company added that the GSP
Saturn was towed to Romania from the port of Rotterdam through the Bosphorus. According to
VesselsValue, the rig had been stacked from August 2015 until November 2017. Following the
reclassification, the rig will work for the Romanian oil and gas company, Black Sea Oil & Gas. As
detailed by VesselsValue, the contract for the GSP Saturn began on December 15, 2017, and will last
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19TH VOLUME, NO. 13 DATED 14 FEBRUARY 2018

for one year. The GSP
Saturn is a four-legged,
self-elevating jack-up unit.
The rig was built by
Damen Galati Shipyard,
Romania, in 1988. In
2009/2013, the rig was
subject of an extensive
upgrade and
reclassification project
carried out by GSP
Shipyard under GSP project management, with the budget amounting of about $120 million.
(Source: Offshore Energy Today)

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Q4 2017 TSAVLIRIS ACTIVITIES

BULK CARRIER “SINICA GRAECA”
On 17 August 2017, the Bulk
Carrier "Sinica Graeca” (GT
35,884 - DWT 63,270), laden
with about 50,000 tonnes
coal in bulk, on passage from
Indonesia to India was
involved in a collision in
Singapore Straits. The
collision caused significant
damages to the starboard side
of the "Sinica Graeca", by
way of cargo hold No. 2. As
a result of the damage, FOT
No. 2 was breached and the fuel oil spilled both into the sea and into cargo hold No. 2. Moreover,
4,274 tonnes cargo spilled (or were washed out) into the sea. The deformed area on the side shell in
way of the cargo hold No. 2 stbd side extended from frame 165 up to frame 195 and from the main
deck level down to the bilge plate. The gaping hole in the middle of the deformed area was over 100
m2 metres. Salvors appointed agents along with subcontractors (Singapore Salvage Engineering) who
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provided salvage and antipollution equipment, crafts, divers and man power. On 21 August,
mobilisation of a local oil spill emergency response team, equipment and man power commenced as
well as a salvage team from Greece and Holland. On 23 August, the salvage team boarded the
casualty. Ocean oil booms were deployed/secured around the casualty and underwater inspection by
divers and cleaning operations commenced. Due to the extent of the damage the vessel required full
cargo discharge in sheltered waters. By 10 September, the vessel was clean and the patch and slosh
guard were in place so that casualty was ready for transit to shelter. Salvors requested and received
formal permission from MPA Singapore to shift the casualty from her actual position to the Raffles
Reserve anchorage. On 21 September cargo receiving vessel "America Graeca" was fixed by
Contractors with ETA Singapore on 24 September. On 25 September, the casualty escorted by T/B
"Posh Husky" commenced the transit to Singapore. The vessel anchored at Raffles Reserve anchorage
and works to place the oil booms commenced. On 5 October, cargo discharge to cargo barges
commenced initially from cargo hold No. 2 in order to relieve the damaged area from stresses.
Discharging of sound and
contaminated cargo from
"Sinica Graeca " was loaded
onto barges and thence
loaded onto "America
Graeca". On 21 October the
cargo discharge operation
was completed. On 24
October the " Sinica Graeca "
was safely moored alongside
a floating dock at the Pax
Ocean shipyard premises.
On the same day, the cargo
transfer from barges onto "America Graeca" was completed. On 25 October 2017 the operation was
completed successfully. The entire salvage operation lasted 68 days. (Press Release)

DRILLING RIG “EIRIK RAUDE”
On 20 November 2017, the semi-
submersible drilling rig “Eirik
Raude” (GT 36,898) whilst laid up at
Platygiali terminal - Astakos Port,
Greece, broke loose from her
moorings due to very strong winds.
The platform drifted from berth No.2
to berth No.6, causing damage to
fenders and collided with boat
“Alkyon” and pilot boat “Pilot I”.
Tsavliris tug boats “Hermes” and
“Hermes I” mobilised from Patras,
Greece, and upon arrival provided
stand by services. On 22 November
the tugs connected and shifted the
platform back to her berth No.2 thus
completing the operation. (Press Release)
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BULK CARRIER “DELFA”
On 4 December 2017, the Bulk
Carrier "Delfa", immobilised
due to camshaft problem about
700 miles north-west of
Colombo, Sri Lanka, whilst en
route from Chernomorsk,
Ukraine to Magla, Bangladesh.
The vessel was laden with
about 50,000 tonnes of bulk
wheat. On 7 December, the
AHT "Salvanguard" was
molilised from Colombo to the
casualty. The weather
conditions were unfavourable due to the passing cyclone (tropical storm “Ockhi”) about 400 miles
from the casualty's location. During the cyclone, both Masters were in direct contact. On 7
December, the tug arrived at the casualty's position and berthed alongside the vessel. The tug's team
boarded the casualty, established towage connection and commenced towage to Galle to disembark
armed guards and thence to final destination, Colombo, Sri Lanka. On 11 December the convoy
arrived at Galle where the armed guards disembarked and the convoy resumed towage to Colombo.
On 12 December, the convoy arrived at Colombo and the "Delfa" (with the assistance of the AHT "
Salvanguard ") anchored at a position indicated by port authorities. All towing gear was recovered
and the tug was released. (Press Release)

BULK CARRIER “MARIA A. ANGELICOUSSIS”
On 20 December 2017, the cape size Bulk Carrier “Maria A.Angelicoussis” (GT 86,201 – DWT
169,000) fully laden with iron ore became disabled about 15 miles off Taiwan east coast. On the
same day, the tug “Salvage Ace” (9,000 BHP – 110 TBP) was mobilised from her salvage station at
Kaohsiung towards the casualty (by then only 6 miles off coast).On 21 December, the tug arrived at
casualty’s position and despite unfavourable weather conditions, established tow connection and
commenced towage. The convoy arrived safely at Kaohsiung roads and with the assistance of the
salvage tug, anchored at anchorage No.1. Later in the day, the operation was completed and the
“Salvage Ace” was released. (Press Release)

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19TH VOLUME, NO. 13 DATED 14 FEBRUARY 2018

BULK CARRIER “IOLCOS GENESIS”
On 22 December 2017, the
Bulk Carrier “Iolcos Genesis”
(DWT 46,000 – GT 34,062)
partly laden with maize,
immobilised due to main
engine failure approximately
43 miles west-north-west of
Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The
same day the salvage tug
“Salvage Ace” (BHP 9,000 –
110 TBP) was mobilised
from her salvage station at
Kaohsiung and arrived at the casualty’s position the next morning. Tow line connection was
established and towage to Kaohsiung commenced. On 23 December, the convoy safely arrived at
Kaohsiung roads and anchored at anchorage No.1 while the tug provided standby services. On 24
December the “Iolcos Genesis”, escorted by “Salvage Ace”, sailed from Kaohsiung to Taichung,
Taiwan and arrived at destination on 26 December. On 28 December the operation was completed
and the tug was released. (Press Release)

ACCIDENTS – SALVAGE NEWS

TANKER WITH FUEL BEACHED BY STORM, MALTA
Bunker tanker Hephaestus with cargo
of fuel on board drifted ashore at
Qawra coast, northern Malta, after
her anchor dragged in stormy
weather, during the night Feb 10. She
was beached at around 0530 UTC Feb
10, 7 crew, including 4 Bangladesh
nationalities, 2 Russian and 1
Egyptian, went on shore, Bangladeshi
Captain was the only one injured, he
was hospitalized. Officials said there’s
no immediate danger of oil leak.
Photo, video at https://www.tvm.com.mt/en/news/watch-ship-runs-aground-qawra-shore/ Bunker
tanker Hephaestus, Imo 6519326, dwt 885, built 1965, flag Togo, manager Volont Martime SA,
Greece. (Source: Maritime Bulletin)

TANKER GROUNDING OFF GOTHENBURG, SWEDEN
Product tanker Tervind ran aground on an island in Graveskar Archipelago shortly after leaving
Gothenburg, Sweden, at around 1400 UTC Feb 10, right in front of lighthouse Gaveskar. Reportedly
tanker is in ballast. According to AIS, she was refloated, with tug’s assistance, in about an hour.
Steering failure said to be the cause of the grounding. Tanker seems to be under way as of 1540 UTC
moving dead ahead, probably to be anchored for a hull survey. On a photo from gp.se Tervind, on
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19TH VOLUME, NO. 13 DATED 14 FEBRUARY 2018

the rocks. No leak reported. Product
tanker Tervind, Imo 9425356, dwt
11258, built 2008, flag Denmark,
manager Tarntank Ship Management
AB. (Source: Maritime Bulletin)

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GROUNDED WRECK BREAKS UP OFF AMERICAN SAMOA
The Chui Zai Fa No. 1, the
Taiwanese longliner that went
aground in American Samoa on
Monday 5 February 2018, has
broken up in the surf zone off Leone
Bay, Tutuila. The Coast Guard
estimates that the 88-foot fishing
vessel had as much as 30,000 gallons
of diesel on board at the time it went
onto the reef, based on its estimated
tank capacity. Light sheening has
been reported in the vicinity of the wreck. Responders were not able to address the spill on Friday
because of the approach of Tropical Cyclone Gita. As of Friday afternoon, the storm's center was
about 55 nm to the south of the Independent State of Samoa (west of American Samoa) and moving
east-southeast at 15 knots. Maximum sustained winds at Tutuila are expected to peak Friday at 50
knots, with gusts to 60 knots. In anticipation of the storm, the Coast Guard Captain of the Port has
closed the main port of Pago Pago and has suspended any in-port operations without prior
authorization. Gita is strengthening as it moves east, and the heavy weather is expected to generate
extreme sea conditions, storm surge and high surf throughout American Samoa. Surf heights are
forecast to reach 15-18 feet through Sunday. The Coast Guard cautioned that the Chui Zai Fa wreck
site is especially dangerous due to heavy surf and the compromised integrity of the vessel's hull.
Response personnel have been withdrawn temporarily, and officials cautioned citizens to stay clear
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19TH VOLUME, NO. 13 DATED 14 FEBRUARY 2018

of the area. The Chui Zai Fa caught fire in international waters on November 4, forcing most of her
crew to abandon ship into a life raft. The survivors were rescued by a Korean vessel and transferred
to another Taiwanese vessel, which carried them to Fiji. However, her master and one additional
fisherman remain missing. The burned wreck of the Chui Zai Fa remained afloat and abandoned
until Monday, when it found the southwestern shores of Tutuila. The Coast Guard said in a
statement that the owner has taken responsibility for the grounding and provided significant
financial resources to mitigate any potential effects. (Source: Marex)

DISABLED TUG TOWED TO LA CORUNA, ANOTHER STILL ADRIFT
Tug NAS Pathfinder lost towed
tug Puma in Bay of Biscay on
Feb 8 in vicinity 46 00N 007
53W, unmanned tug hull was
left drifting, while NAS
Pathfinder had to be taken
under tow because of steering
failure. She was towed to La
Coruna Spain, tug which
executed towage is to sail back
to recover drifting Puma,
marked with GPS beacon. Tug
NAS Pathfinder, IMO 7312402, GT 224, built 1974, flag Panama, owner unknown. (Source:
Maritime Bulletin)

OFFSHORE NEWS

NORWEGIAN COURT LAUNCHES INVESTIGATION INTO OCEANTEAM
Oceanteam, a Dutch Norwegian
offshore support vessel provider, will
be appealing a ruling made by a
Norwegian court, ordering the
launch of an investigation into the
company as requested by its
shareholders. The municipal court of
Bergen in September 2017 received a
petition for a public investigation
filed by the company’s shareholders.
Oceanteam in September confirmed
that the petition for the investigation
had been filed but provided no
further details about the reasons for
the investigation. Oceanteam on Friday, February 9 received the ruling from the court, which
concludes that an investigation of certain related party transactions will be initiated. “The company
and its legal counsel is of the opinion that there are no legal grounds for an investigation and that
the court’s ruling is incorrect. The ruling will therefore be appealed,” Oceanteam said in the Friday
statement. The company also added that it would provide the market with further updates “in due
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