Targe Towing expands fleet as Brexit begins

This UK-based owner operates tugs in ports and terminals in Scotland, supporting tankers at a key oil export point for the nation.

During H2 2019, Targe Towing took delivery of a newbuild azimuth stern drive (ASD) tug, Peterel, from Sanmar shipyards in Turkey. This is a Bogacay type tug, built to a Robert Allan design, with around 70 tonnes of bollard pull.

Another ASD tug is being built for Targe Towing to operate in Scotland to a similar design. This will be named Queensferry when it is completed later this year.

Targe Towing performs harbour work and terminal operations throughout the ports of northeast Scotland including the ports of Aberdeen, Dundee, Montrose and Peterhead, and Ineos’ Hound Point Forties crude oil export terminal in the Firth of Forth, near Edinburgh.

Investment in tug newbuilds was part of a long-term commitment Ineos made to the Forties Pipeline System (FPS) that transports large volumes of North Sea crude oil to the tanker terminal. FPS is one of the largest oil transportation systems in the UK and a key export centre.

• Scottish owners expand port towage services
• Year-end surge in deliveries boosts tug fleets
• UK fleet expands with ASD newbuildings

Targe Towing is installing fleet management software on these newbuildings. It previously installed Marine Software Ltd’s MPMWin Lite software on 2017-built tug Kittiwake, built by Sanmar with 60 tonnes of bollard pull.

This software package was installed on Peterel and will be deployed on Queensferry on its delivery from Turkey.

MPMWin is software for managing marine planned maintenance on ship. The light version was developed for smaller vessels including tugs, workboats and offshore support vessels.

Targe Towing operates four tugs at the Hound Point Forties crude oil export terminal. These are Hopetoun, Corringham, Cramond and Dalmeny. It also operates crew transfer vessel Skua and line handling vessels – Arrol, Baker and Fowler.

In other Scottish ports, Targe Towing operates tugs Peterel, Kittiwake, Carrickfergus and Collie T.