Boluda in $640M acquisition of Boskalis’s Australia and Papua New Guinea towage biz

Photo: Boluda

Boluda Towage has been on the acquisition trail again, buying Royal Boskalis BV’s towage and salvage business in Australia and Papua New Guinea in a deal valued at $640 million.

Boluda says the acquisition consolidates its position at the top of the maritime towage business, with a presence on five continents and the most powerful fleet in the world, made up of more than 850 vessels — including tugs and salvage vessels.

Boluda Towage will now have operational capacity in more than 232 ports worldwide, employing over 8,000 seafarers, and a technical and administrative support team of 1,500 professionals of 35 nationalities, enabling it to provide global service to its clients.

“With this acquisition, we improve the service and operational efficiency for our clients, consolidating ourselves as the leading global player in towage, with presence on all continents, “ said Vicente Boluda Ceballos, chairman of Boluda Towage “Furthermore, we want to continue supporting the development of port infrastructure where we operate by improving efficiency, safety, and sustainability.”

The ports of Sydney, Perth, Botany, Gladstone, Brisbane, Newcastle, Melbourne, Weipa, Mackay, Port Moresby (Papua New Guinea), and Launceston (Tasmania) are industrial docks with high volumes of raw materials such as iron, coal, natural gas, gold, and lithium, essential for the energy, technology, and steel industries.

These ports play a key role in the global economy, as they connect Australia’s natural resource production with the main world markets, especially Asia, securing its role as an export powerhouse in global maritime trade.