Boluda Towage Europe is turning environmental commitment into action by purchasing two tugs with emissions-reduction technology
This tug-owning group promised to invest in new tugs that meet IMO Tier III requirements on lower emissions after it secured a new towage concession extension for the Port of Zeebrugge, Belgium, in July.
Boluda Towage Europe has agreed to buy two partially completed azimuth stern drive (ASD) harbour tugs from Damen Shipyards for delivery in December 2020.
These two tugs will have propulsion compliant with IMO Tier III emissions standards, including a selective catalytic reduction unit for removing particulates and nitrogen oxides. Their hulls were launched at Damen Song Cam Shipyard in Vietnam at the end of July.
They are built to ASD 2813 design with 85 tonnes of bollard pull and will be named VB Bolero and VB Rumba.
Damen sales manager for north, west and south Europe, Carlos Gonzalez Martin, said these tugs will have fire-fighting capabilities to FiFi1 class. “We are convinced that these Damen ASD 2813 tugs, including FiFi1 and Damen Marine NOx reduction system, will be a great addition to the Boluda Europe fleet operations,” said Mr Martin.
Boluda Towage Europe chief executive Geert Vandecappelle confirmed the location for these new ASD tugs.
“Our new tugs, VB Bolero and VB Rumba, both complying with the most recent IMO Tier III emission standards, will be put to use in December 2020 for the extended concession for towage services in the Belgian Port of Zeebrugge,” Mr Vandecappelle said.
Boluda Towage Europe promised to operate up to eight harbour tugs equipped to IMO Tier III emission standards during the concession period in Zeebrugge. It had already retrofitted Union Koala tug to these requirements in 2019 and will upgrade Union Panda this year.
Emissions of the other tugboats for this concession will be reduced in the first two years of the contract. As such, NOx emissions will be reduced by 80% from this tug fleet, Boluda Towage Europe said.
This is a forward-looking emissions commitment considering upcoming enforcement of IMO Tier III emissions standards.
New tugs, with the keel laid after 1 January 2020 and with diesel main engines need to comply by having relevant emissions abatement technology installed.
Boluda Towage Europe operates a fleet of 81 tugs in Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and the UK.
It is part of family-run Boluda Towage Group, which operates more than 300 tugboats in 19 countries in Europe, West Africa, Americas and in the Indian Ocean.
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