SAAM completes unprecedented Americas towage project

SAAM Towage has completed what it says was unprecedented towing and logistics manoeuvres across South America with a pontoon and a barge.

SAAM Towage’s 2004-built tug Aguila III was supported by the company’s other vessels and teams in five countries.

The 115-day,14,800-km journey took weeks of detailed planning to overcome operational challenges. SAAM Towage teams and assets in Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Panama and Peru carried out complex towing operations in busy harbours and lengthy coastal voyages.

This project comprised several stages: towing a pontoon from Corral, in the Valdivia area of Chile to Buenaventura, Colombia; receiving a barge in Panama and towing it to the port of Iquique, in northern Chile, to load a 400-tonne crane; unloading the crane in the Port of San Vicente in Chile; and transferring the barge to the customer’s home port of Corral.

“This achievement reflects the co-ordination of technical, logistical and administrative SAAM Towage teams,” said SAAM Towage special services manager for Chile and Peru, Raimundo Grez.

“Detailed planning, fluid communication and our experienced crews were fundamental to the success of this unprecedented manoeuvre, which safely and efficiently overcame logistical and geographical challenges.”