Damen lands two-tug deal in Mexico

Damen Shipyards Group has signed a contract with Mexican tug operator, Chomex Marino, for two offshore support tugs. The two OST 120 tugs will be deployed in the Gulf of Mexico on a 15-year deal with Woodside Energy and will support the Australian company’s deepwater operations across the region.

The 67m-long tugs, which will be built at Albwardy Damen in Sharjah, will have a bollard pull of 120 tonnes both ahead and astern, and an open deck area of 250m². The vessels are designed for flexible applications in the offshore energy sector, Damen said.

The DP2 tugs, capable of working in severe offshore conditions, will be deployed in operations including  handling mooring lines and cargo hoses, hose maintenance, tanker assistance during tandem offloading operations, ROV deployment, standby services, oil spill response, supply and replenishment tasks, and crew and bulk cargo transfers.

The OST 120 tugs also have the ability to store and transfer chemicals. This will enable the charterer to hire one less supply vessel, thereby cutting and reducing emissions. 

Chomex Marino general manager, Fausto Correa, said: “It has been a pleasure to work with Damen and we are grateful for a vessel design which satisfies the design requirements of both Woodside and Chomex Marino. With a 100% Mexican crew on board these vessels, we look forward to seeing our new Damen OST 120 vessels in operation, making a positive impact to the Mexican maritime industry.”