First of four Damen tugs for ARC Towage heads for Trinidad

Damen ASD Tug 2810 Kairi

OCTOBER 2, 2014 — MV Kairi, the first of four Damen ASD 2810 tugs ordered from Damen Shipyards Group by ARC Towage is now en route to Trinidad from the shipbuilder’s Galati, Romania, yard.

ARC Towage is a joint venture company involving J.D. Irving company Atlantic Towing Limited of Saint John, NB, Reyser, a subsidiary of Spain’s Bergé group and Coloured Fin of Trinidad and Tobago. The joint venture was set up to provide LNG vessel terminal berthing services in Trinidad and Tobago under a ten year contract beginning in January 2015.

The second vessel will leave in two weeks. The last two tugs will arrive mid-December this year. All four are set to be delivered by Damen Services in Trinidad and Tobago before January 1, 2015. They will provide towage services for escorting, berthing and un-berthing LNG-vessels.

The ASD Tugs 2810 have a minimal bollard pull of 60 tons and a maximum speed of 12.9 knots. For operation in and around the LNG terminal, the vessels are equipped with rig savers (remote shut off valves) on all engines, remote-closing air intakes, gas detection systems and exterior explosion-proof lighting.