Damen inks contract with Dutch operator for ASD tug   

The 32-m tug provides a hefty 83 tonnes of bollard pull. With a wide range of options available to equip the tug for specific roles, Damen said Muller Dordrecht has opted for almost all of them, including the IMO Tier III after-treatment system for low NOx emissions, a large aft deck winch together with an open stern, hydraulic towline guide pins, a deck crane and a support boat. A winterisation package for operations in high latitudes includes additional insulation, heated windows and GMDSS A3-rated communications.

The ASD tug is being built at the company’s Song Cam Shipyard in Vietnam. Sales Manger for Benelux, Joost van der Weiden, commented, “We are happy Muller Dordrecht has chosen an ASD Tug 3212 – one of our most capable tugboats – and that our two companies are once again doing business.”

Damen said it will deliver the tug in nine months and is targeting May 2023 for delivery.

On delivery, the tug will work in the offshore sector in the North Sea, operating out of Rotterdam. The industry expects day rates to remain relatively stable for premium workboats into the foreseeable future, not least because high-efficiency new vessels are in short supply and in demand.

Muller Dordrecht chief executive Bram Muller said, “We are happy to be working together once again with Damen Shipyards. This ASD tug 3212 will strengthen our tailor-made solutions for our customers, not only offshore but also in port.”