Technical and geopolitical challenges impact tugboat shipping

Transporting tugboats on heavy-lift ships is a complex, specialised operation with multiple technical, geopolitical and maritime challenges, but it can save time and costs for owners. These are alternatives to sailing newbuilds from shipyards to home ports, or existing tugs between regions, but require detailed planning and management. 

Peters & May has more than 50 years in commercial marine transport of various types of cargo, especially yachts and workboats, including organising and managing tugboat deliveries to clients. For example, the company transported two new 22-m tugboats, Solidor and Cite d’Aleth, built by Piriou, from Vietnam to Saint-Malo, France, in Q3 2024. These 320-gt vessels, each with a beam of 8.5 m, were loaded onto Fairmaster, which is fitted with two 1,500-tonne cranes. This voyage lasted around seven weeks, from July to September 2024. 

Peters & May global commercial sales manager, Robert Blades, said each tug transportation is a specialised and bespoke operation requiring technical support, operational control, documentation management, local port handling and loadmaster teams. 

“Each tug project is unique,” he said, adding that “tailored solutions should address the tugboat’s dimensions, weight and specific requirements” with a team to “manage every aspect of the transportation process.” 

This team would “secure the best vessel, position the cargo space, schedule and plan the route planning, and consider options around the handling process, technical equipment, lifting methods, specialist manpower, port infrastructure, budget and insurance,” said Mr Blades. 

The larger and heavier the cargo, the more time it can take to ensure everything is prepared and follows the safety standards. “For the largest tugs, extensive time is required for the technical department to produce method statements, loading securances, sea-fastening calculations, engineering of equipment or cradling - all critical to secure cargo during transportation,” added Mr Blades.  

Technical challenges

Some of the technical challenges include finding vessels with correct equipment for transporting tugboats without causing damage and creating insurance claims. “Tugboats require careful handling due to their unique design and operational requirements,” he continued. “Marine cargo will usually need a specialised cradle for support and to secure it safely on the vessel’s deck. Not having a suitable cradle can have significant ramifications for insurance.” 

Peters & May treats every heavy lift like a custom project, providing full project cargo assessments, engineering and stowage plans, survey and permit management, global route optimisation, and customs and regulatory support. “Planning operations often results in the avoidance of hidden costs,” Mr Blades said. 

The UK-headquartered company also has specialist lifting and cradling equipment and loadmasters who oversee all operations at loading and unloading ports, with decades of hands-on experience in loading and offloading heavy machinery, oversized equipment, or complex and challenging cargo in multiple ports.  

“Tugboats require careful handling due to their unique design and operational requirements” 

This team can spot any errors and inconsistencies, which, if unnoticed, could result in logistical and financial problems. “The most prevalent issue we see is a discrepancy between the supplied gross registered tonnage and displacement weight of the cargo,” said Mr Blades. “If a shipper advises the incorrect weight, the wrong type of vessel could be selected with cranes unable to lift the cargo.” 

This issue arose during transportation of Solidor and Cite d’Aleth. Peters & May encountered a challenge when, on the day of shipment, the vessels’ weight proved to be lower than anticipated. Fairmaster was still deemed an appropriate ship that could handle the load and shipment of both tugs without any problems. Weight discrepancies tend to be a bigger deal when the actual weight is higher than the shipping team is expecting.