One of the 6 former US Army tugs that was donated by the US Government to Malta and currently owned by Bezzina Maritime Services is no doubt the famous workhorse tug 29.
She was built by American Electric Welding Co, Savannah, Georgia, USA as ST 2029 for the US Army Corps of Engineers in 1952.
Once she arrived in Malta she was assigned to both Public Works Department (PWD) Xlokk and Kalaxlokk Construction Co Ltd (KXC) and retained her last number as 29.
Late Eighties she was sold to Salvatore Bezzina & Sons and renamed TUG 29. In 2008 she was renamed again to 29 with owners as Bezzina Maritime Services (Same Bezzina Group).
One of the towages around within the same company vessels was the shifting of the barge BEZZ IV from Marsaxlokk Harbour to Grand Harbour or Valletta back to 2nd May 2015.
BEZZ IV is one of the former KXC Crane Barges that were built at the Malta Drydocks (MDD) in the 70s and worked in several projects such as Malta Freeport Terminal 2 extension works.
After KXC was dissolved, all vessels were transferred to Bezzina Maritime Services (BMS) and KCC 4 was renamed as BEZZ IV sporting the grey/black livery with the FMC Cranes changed into yellowish colour.
Here back to 9th May 2009 recovering wrecks at Church Wharf.
So on Saturday 2nd May 2015 , the 13.7 metre tug 29 was seen entering Marsaxlokk Harbour –
Few minutes later she was seen towing the barge BEZZ IV from Malta Freeport Terminal 2 that was being used as a space between the wharf and a semi submersible drilling rig (ssdr).
Later on the towage was seen entering Grand Harbour bound to Church Wharf.
71 year old lady still on the go 🙂
Bezzina Maritime Services are part of BEZZINA GROUP – www.bezzinagroup.com which they are our SPONSORS too.
