On Friday 15th January, 2021 Damen Shipyards Group handed over a new, next-generation, Damen RSD Tug 2513 SENGLEA to Tug Malta, Malta’s leading tug operator. Tug Malta, which is owned by Rimorchiatori Mediterranei Spa (Rimorchiatori Riuniti Group), placed the order for the vessel in November 2019.
First introduced on 26th April 2018 by the tug INNOVATION the RSD Tug 2513 represents a radical new design with an impressive bollard pull of 80 tonnes.
Built at Damen’s Song Cam Shipyard in Vietnam, she features Damen’s revolutionary Twin Fin skeg to enhance directional stability and provide higher indirect towing force. Other characteristics are IMO Tier III readiness, Damen Safety Glass and a glued superstructure to minimise noise and vibration. The design features Damen’s revolutionary Twin Fin skeg to enhance directional stability and provide higher indirect towing force. Other characteristics are IMO Tier III readiness, Damen Safety Glass and a glued superstructure to minimise noise and vibration.
According to the CEO of Rimorchiatori Riuniti – Gregorio Gavarone, defines this investment as “the last step agreed by Tug Malta with the
Maltese government as part of the concession extension agreement to 2035 which provided for the introduction of three new tugs in the fleet in order to better serve the new 18,000 TEU mega-container ships that call at Marsaxlokk Harbour and the LNG terminal already operating in the same area “. For these three new workhorses delivered over the last 48 months, the Genoese group has invested a total of
approximately 24 million euros. The first Azimuthal Stern Drive 2913 tug built by Damen and renamed ST.ANGELO had been delivered to Tug Malta in February 2018 while the second, renamed VITTORIOSA built by the Turkish Med Marine shipyard on a Robert Allan Design, had entered service in the spring of 2019.
SENGLEA arrived as deck cargo aboard the heavy lift vessel BBC ONYX on Tuesday 12th January, 2021 entering Marsaxlokk Harbour, berthing at Medserv Base.
On Thursday 28th January, 2021 SENGLEA left Grand Harbour, Malta bound to sea trials leaving at 1034 hrs.
Returning back at 1139 hrs she performed a fi-fi test, testing her monitors and all fire fighting capabilities (FIFI 1).
On completion some dancing lessons were made and proceeded to Palumbo Malta Shipyard Ltd for winch test at Dock 6, bullnose.
Her dimensions are 24.73 metres long with 13.13 metres as width with displacement of 525 ts. Her bollard pull ahead is 75 tonnes while astern is 70 tonnes. She has a Split Drum 31 ton pull towing winch together with 175 ton brake and she is the first RSD tug to operate in the Central Mediterranean region.
Watermarked Photos are by Capt. Lawrence Dalli. NO PHOTOS can be used or manipulated without our permission. © All rights reserved. Malta Ship Photos & Action Photos – www.maltashipphotos.com
Published – Monday 1st February 2021
