The 2009 Spanish built AVT 37/70 Terminal/Escort Tug SPINOLA part of Tug Malta Limited a fully owned company of Rimorchiatori Mediterranei SpA, the latter being a sub-holding company of Rimorchiatori Riuniti Group of Genova, that commenced towage operations within the Harbours and Territorial Waters of the Maltese Islands in 1980.
She was built in Spain by Astilleros Armon S.A. with yard number C-677 and on 3rd July, 2009 she arrived at Malta, with tug SEA SALVOR saluting her by fire monitors display.
Her dimensions are – a length overall (loa) of 36.65 m, beam of 13.60 m and maximum draft of 6.60 m. She’s equipped with firefighting and oil recovery equipment. Propulsive power is provided by two MAK8M25 engines, each developing 2,640 kW at 750 rpm. She has 2 x Voith Schneider propellers of type 32 R5/265-2.
She has a maximum speed of 14 knots and a bollard pull of 81 metric tonnes. She used to drydock at Palumbo Malta Shipyard.
She used to be seen at both Marsaxlokk Harbour and at Grand Harbour assisting all sorts of vessels –
During positioning of Floating Storage Unit (FSU) ARMADA LNG MEDITERRANA at Marsaxlokk Harbour, Malta back to 12th October, 2016.
Assisting the 2009 built 366 m mother ship CMA CGM CHRISTOPHE COLOMB back to December, 2009, five months after arriving to Malta.
Being a workhorse she was used in several Salvage & Ocean Going Operations such as the famous tanker JILL JACOB at the Tank Cleaning Farm, Ricasoli where SPINOLA had to be shifted from Marsaxlokk (mx) to Grand Harbour (gh) in NE Gale Force 8 –
Exactly 2 years ago – 19th March 2022, Malta Ship Photos & Action Photos (MSPAP) had an interesting wake up call in the early morning hours of which the 1968 built 209.86 metres tanker CHEM P reported to Valletta VTS that she’s not under command while she was underway from OPL Malta to Bunkering Area 6 for sheltering due to the strong Wind.
0631 hrs – Tugboat SPINOLA left Marsaxlokk Harbour bound to CHEM P position around 5 nautical miles off Grand Harbour (O/GH).
0633 hrs – CHEM P to VTS stated that both anchors are housed and in working order just in case of dropping anchors. Vessel has 20 crew including Indian nationality Captain.
0641 hrs – CHEM P to VTS – Vessel in Ballast Condition and Gas Free. Last Cargo was chemical in bulk. No Fuel Oil as the vessel is a steamship not a motorship. Diesel Oil aboard is 350 metric tons.
0703 hrs – CHEM P to VTS – She is adrift, no anchors in the water and started communications with the salvage tug SPINOLA regarding towing line procedures using a 54mm wire rope.
0717 hrs – CHEM P to VTS – Sea State is 5-6 metres swell , Easterly Wind 45 knots gusting to 49 knots.
0748 hrs – CHEM P to SPINOLA – Current position is 2 nm from shore.
0755 hrs – SPINOLA to VTS – Vessel (CHEM P) has no Line Throwing Apparatus and not easy at all in these conditions, while tug SPINOLA was approaching her bow.
With stormy weather including ESE gale force winds with very high swell the shifting of the tanker CHEM P from her current position to a designated area was hampered and cancelled for Sunday 20th March, 2022. With SITREP every hour or so to access the situation it was decided to leave it for Monday 21st March of which CHEM P was freed and started being towed to a designated position at Bunkering Area 6.
Then on Friday 29th September, 2023 around 2340 hrs a fire broke out in the engine room on the 1980 built ITA flag and owned ferry COSSYRA, off Linosa Island whilst sailing from Lampedusa to Porto Empedocle, with 177 souls on board, including 150 passengers (83 of them were migrants) and 27 crew members.
On Saturday 30th September, tug SPINOLA part of Rimorchiatori Mediteranei SpA, left Marsaxlokk Harbour, Malta around 1444 hrs bound to the ferry to tow her to Augusta, Sicily.
Of which an article was issued too – https://maltashipphotos.com/casualties-ferry-cossyra-on-fire-after-leaving-lampedusa-29-09-2023/
During January of this year she had a job at Dakar, Senegal of which she stopped at Las Palmas on both ways and last Sunday 3rd March around 1300 hrs she was spotted entering Cadiz, Spain bound to Navantia San Fernando shipyard for drydocking etc,
She was acquired by the powerful Valencian Shipping Group Boluda Towage , a world leader in the towage sector and will be renamed as VB BUCEFALO to join their fleet.
