One of the famous Belgian tugs is the 1977 built tug FIGHTER. She was launched on 8th March and completed in April 1977 by Scheepswerf Van Rupelmonde (Chantiers de Naval Rupelmonde), Rupelmonde, Belgium with yard number 437 and was delivered in April to the Unie van Redding en Sleepdienst (URS), Antwerp, Belgium and was stationed at Flushing, Netherlands, homeported at Antwerp (BEL).
In 2004 she was transferred to URS Ocean Towage NV, Antwerp, Belgium from Smit Union Coastal Towage NV and on 1st March 2005 she was part of the Euro Tugs pool fleet, founded by URS (Belgian) and Fairplay (Germany). On Sunday 7th January 2007 while on voyage from Romania to Norway towing the newbuilding HULL 210 (Now is ISLAND VALIANT) entered Valletta, Malta.
They berthed at Pinto 4/5 wharves at VISET (Now Valletta Cruise Port Terminal).
During February 2007 she was sold to breakers for Ghent, Belgium but was saved and on 26th February 2007 she started her life with Tugspotters , a tug portal group made of tug enthusiasts, tug owners, tug masters etc at Terneuzen, The Netherlands though there was an initiative blown up by public opposition and on Thursday 11th October she was towed by by her sister BOXER.
Last January 2020 she was spotted at Rotterdam, The Netherlands berthed with her function now is a theatre vessel.
Photos by Capt. Lawrence Dalli. Do not use these images without my permission. © All rights reserved. Malta Ship Photos & Action Photos – www.maltashipphotos.com
Published – Sunday 3rd May, 2020
