Damen-built tugs join Kotug Smit fleet
Two new sister tugs have begun harbour towage duties in the Port of Rotterdam and Zeebrugge
The Damen-built ASD 2913 units Rotterdam and Southampton, with bollard pulls of more than 80 tonnes, are now operating in the ports of Rotterdam and Zeebrugge, respectively. The tugs were chosen because of their high performance and short delivery time and “fit perfectly” into the company’s European harbour towage operations, according to a Kotug statement.
Jeroen van Rookhuijzen, general manager Operations Rotterdam at Kotug, said: “We welcome the Rotterdam to assist all types of vessels of our clients at the Maasvlakte 2 and the Rotterdam area.” Meanwhile, commenting on the commissioning of the Southampton which is equipped with a fire-fighting 1 system, Geert Vandecappelle, general manager Operations Scheldt Area, added: “We are glad that the Southampton will complement our fleet of tugs operating in Zeebrugge to meet and exceed our clients’ needs.”
Kotug Smit Towage was set up in April 2016 following the merger of the European operations of Kotug, part of Kotug International, and Smit, a Boskalis subsidiary. The company operates tugs in 12 ports in Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and the UK.
