Virtually just over one year after the new ASD Tug boat St Angelo was introduced to the fleet, Tug Malta delivered again on its €24 million investment commitment as the Company inaugurated the second of three tug boats – the newly built 81 tonnes bollard pull harbour and escort tug – VITTORIOSA.
The tug was christened by Mrs. Rachelle Borg at St Angelo Wharf – Vittoriosa in the presence of the Hon Ian Borg, Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Capital Projects, Dott. Giovanni Dellepiane – President of Rimorchiatori Riuniti Group, the latter’s Managing Director and Chairman of Rimorchiatori Mediterranei SpA – Dott. Gregorio Gavarone, Mr. John E Sullivan Chairman of Tug Malta and other members of the Board of Directors. Rev. Can Karm Busuttil – Archpriest of Vittoriosa blessed motor tug Vittoriosa.
The Robert Allan RAstar 3000-W design vessel has been built and delivered by Med Marine Shipyard located in Eregli on the Black Sea in Turkey. The vessel is 29.7 m x 13.3 m compact and very powerful unit with LNG Terminal compatible tug features, twin MTU 16V4000M65L main engines each developing 2,560kW, along with Rolls-Royce supplied thrusters and heavy duty escort towing winch and other escort capabilities. Registered under Maltese Flag, M.T. Vittoriosa shall immediately start operating alongside the other 8 Company owned and operated units. This latest addition to the fleet would permit Tug Malta more powerful and state-of-the-art capacity in order to respond to the needs of the ever larger vessels calling in the Maltese ports and the terminals particularly the Marsaxlokk Freeport Terminal and the Delimara LNG Terminal. Vittoriosa is another vessel equipped with a fire-fighting Class 1 system and equipment to provide safety standby emergency and environmental response in the local harbours and the coastal waters of Malta.
The third new tug that the Company has committed to undertake towards Government and the Authority for Transport in Malta over a period of three years is now expected to join the fleet during the first quarter 2021. However it has since become necessary for the Company to undertake further investment in a small unit more fit to service the segment of the smaller sized vessels including luxury yachts and large pleasure boats in our local marinas. In this regard, Tug Malta has announced that it has signed another contract with Med Marine Shipyard for the purchase of a brand new RINA Classed, 14 meter twin screw diesel engine driven tug/mooring/line handling vessel which shall be delivered in the coming weeks. Once it joins the fleet, the said vessel would vie to serve in the same most professional, efficient, safe and prompt manner as the company renders its services to the commercial vessels.
