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Kotug secures thruster lifetime support for escort tugs
Extended coverage has been gained by a Dutch owner for azimuth thrusters on five tugs built in Turkey to support offshore terminal operations in West Africa
Kotug International has contracted Kongsberg Maritime to provide long-term propulsion services and support for five escort tugs built to assist ships at offshore energy terminals in West Africa.
Under the agreement, Kongsberg will service 10 US255 fixed-pitch thrusters that are installed, two each on five tugboats during their lifetime of operations along Africa’s Atlantic coast.
These five vessels share a common propulsion configuration and will be treated as a single fleet under the agreement.
Kongsberg will monitor condition and performance of these thrusters to support preventive maintenance and reduce the risk of unplanned downtime, while charging a fixed annual fee.
“Our customers depend on us to deliver safe, reliable, and uninterrupted operations every day,” said Kotug International corporate technical manager, Marcel van Meel.
“This agreement with Kongsberg Maritime supports that commitment by providing a proactive maintenance approach that maximises vessel availability and reduces operational risk,” he said.
“It is an important step in ensuring the long-term performance of this fleet,” Mr van Meel added.
In 2024 and 2025, Uzmar built a fleet of five escort tugs in Turkey for Kotug’s operations in West Africa.
SD Chatboul, SD Djoudj, SD Waalo and SD Rosso are supporting LNG exports from BP’s floating production project on the Mauritania and Senegal maritime border, and SD Wonder is operating at Eni’s LNG export hub offshore Pointe Noire, Congo.
These tugs were built to Robert Allan’s RAstar 3200-W design with around 80 tonnes of bollard pull coming from two Caterpillar main diesel four-stroke, high-speed engines turning two US255 azimuth thrusters.
“We are supporting Kotug International on this fleet of LNG terminal tugs,” confirmed Kongsberg Maritime head of aftermarket sales, maintenance, repair and operations, Morten Steffens.
“These are demanding operational environments where reliability and availability are critical,” he said.
“This agreement is designed precisely to deliver that. The model is proving its value. The concept is gaining traction in the broader maritime industry to enhance cost control and predictability.”
Riviera will host TUGTECHNOLOGY ‘27 in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, 19-20 May 2027. Use this link for more information and to register.
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