Seabulk Towing orders four harbor tugs at Master Boat Builders
Written by Nick Blenkey
Seabulk’s first Robert Allan Ltd. designed ART 80-98US Rotortug was delivered by the Bayou La Batre, Ala., shipyard of Master Boat Builders in 2017 (Image: Seabulk Towing)
Seabulk Towing Holdings Inc. a subsidiary of SEACOR Holdings Inc. (NYSE: CKH) reports that it has contracted with Bayou La Batre, Ala., based Master Boat Builders, Inc. for the construction of four 80 metric ton bollard pull harbor tugs with an expected delivery beginning in the second half of 2021 through early 2022.
UPDATED ROTORTUGS
Two of the newbuilds will augment the company’s existing Rotortug fleet and feature updates to the advanced Rotortug design, which has proven to be highly capable within the company’s port system.
HYBRID ASD DUO
The other two Azimuth Stern Drive newbuilds will be equipped with diesel mechanical and electric motor propulsion systems. These vessels represent Seabulk’s initial investment in hybrid power towing assets and will operate alongside the company’s existing harbor fleet in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico and the U.S. East Coast. The design for these tugs includes arrangements that will allow for the future installation of batteries, providing greener solutions to meet customers’ needs.
“These tugs represent the latest in technological innovation and showcase our responsiveness to structural and environmental stewardship changes in the shipping sector,” said Daniel Thorogood, president of Seabulk. “This order highlights Seabulk’s ongoing commitment to support growth in our core markets and provide the best available equipment to serve our customers’ developing demands.”
