The MSC shipping group is not only working hard to further develop its container ship activities, but is also expanding its fleet in the tugboat segment.
The operator Tug Malta, a subsidiary of the shipping company MedTug, which in turn belongs to MSC, has now added a new tugboat to its fleet.
The “Med Aldebaran” is an RSD 2513 tugboat built by the Dutch Damen shipyard group. The newbuilding has now been christened in Malta in the presence of Malta’s Prime Minister Robert Abela. With a bollard pull of more than 80 tons, the new vessel will “significantly strengthen the company’s operations in the Maltese port of Marsaxlokk”, according to a statement.
The RSD Tug 2513 is described as a compact, manoeuvrable vessel that combines elements of ASD and escort tugs. A so-called “Marine NOX Reduction System” from Damen was selected for the “Med Aldebaran”. With this system for selective catalytic reduction (SCR), the ship’s performance should meet the requirements of IMO Tier III. To further increase efficiency, the tug is equipped with Damen Triton. The IoT solution collects and analyses data gathered by sensors around the ship and provides the crew with the information. The “Med Aldebaran” also has FiFi1 functions for firefighting.
Tug built for MSC subsidiary in Vietnam
Damen and Tug Malta only signed the contract for the ship in March of this year. Following the completion of construction at the Song Cam shipyard in Vietnam, which belongs to the Damen Group, the tugboat was transferred to Malta via the Cape of Good Hope on its own keel.
The “Med Aldebaran” joins a number of Damen tugs in the company’s fleet. These include ASD tugs and another RSD tug 2513, which Damen delivered in 2021. Since then, Tug Malta has also been owned by MSC’s MedTug Group. The group operates a fleet of over 160 tugs in more than 20 international ports.
Giacomo Gavarone, International Managing Director of MedTug, said at the naming ceremony: “This tug is undoubtedly the top technology in its category in terms of performance, safety and security. I would also like to mention that the ‘Med Aldebaran’ is the first tug in our fleet to be equipped with IMO Tier III technology. This is an important first step towards reducing our fleet’s emissions in line with our commitment to a better world and realising the government’s vision of carbon neutrality by 2050.”
Prime Minister Abela emphasised Malta’s commitment to building a fully integrated maritime hub and highlighted that the eco-friendly investment in the state-of-the-art tugboat fits seamlessly into Malta’s vision of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. He said, “The Grand Harbour has prime locations with immense potential and it is vital that we take decisive action to transform these areas. By strengthening infrastructure, attracting investment and promoting opportunities for services of all sizes, we can unlock this potential and drive sustainable economic growth.”
