SAAM Towage signs contract with ASENAV to build a second RAL-designed escort tug for Canada

SAAM Towage inked a shipbuilding contract with Chile’s ASENAV for the delivery of a new 32-m escort tug that will have an estimated bollard pull of more than 80 tonnes.

A signing ceremony for the Robert Allan Ltd-designed RAstar 3200W vessel was held at ASENAV’s exhibition stand at ITS 2026 in Gothenburg, Sweden, on 20 May. The contract signing ceremony was one of a half dozen announced during the exhibition, indicating that demand for powerful tugs remains strong.

Once delivered, Hull 196 will be operated by SAAM Towage to provide escort tug services in Canada.

This contract is the second signed by the parties for a RAstar 3200W escort tug in 2026. Under the previous contract announced in January, ASENAV will deliver a sister tug, Hull 198, from its shipyard in Valdivia, Chile, by the first half of 2027. It will be equipped with a constant-tension winch for escort operations and a firefighting system rated Fire-Fighting Class 1.

To comply with IMO Tier III regulations, the escort tug will integrate an advanced exhaust gas treatment system with its main diesel engines to eliminate NOx emissions.

ASENAV said the 32-m vessel will have FF-1 firefighting certification and Escort Tug certification, the latter defined by a high indirect bollard pull capacity at speeds of up to 10 knots. It will also be fitted with safety equipment for operations at specialist LNG terminals.

“This project not only enables us to continue building a modern, efficient, and sustainable fleet, ready to serve the most demanding markets, but also demonstrates that decentralisation and local talent are key drivers in establishing our global leadership. We currently operate in 12 countries across the Americas, and we aim to continue growing,” said SAAM managing director Hernán Gómez.

In a social media post, the Chilean shipbuilder and ship designer said the latest contract was “a meaningful step in ASENAV’s speculative building strategy,” adding it plans to design and construct “high-performance tugs ahead of demand and finding in operators like SAAM the right partners to bring them into service around the world.”

ASENAV general manager Fernando Rodríguez said the contract with SAAM "reflects a shared long-term vision to strengthen the capabilities of the Chilean shipbuilding industry and advance towards a more competitive maritime ecosystem." He said government Initiatives such as the National Shipbuilding Policy and AFIDE "represent strategic tools for driving the sector’s development. The continuity of joint projects demonstrates that, when private-sector players collaborate with a focus on innovation and national development, it is possible to generate concrete results that make an impact on the country and its maritime industry.”

Headquartered in Santiago, Chile, SAAM Towage is a leading tug operator in the Americas, with a fleet of more than 200 tugs.